


You Had Me At 'Down With Cis'

by pete_za



Category: Bandom, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Panic! at the Disco
Genre: (hayley only turns up once or twice), F/M, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Slow Burn, Trans Female Character, Trans!Gerard, Transphobia, ace!patrick, bden and ryro are the milk duo, dewees is just misunderstood, frank is an idiot during most of this, gee way loves knee socks just as much as she loves being herself, lots of tumblr memes to satisfy my dank soul, mikey is everyone's lil bro, p weezy is the coolest cat you'll ever meet tbh, so look forward to that, there's this one heartbreaking chapter that everyone always hates :)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2016-11-06
Packaged: 2018-04-16 22:12:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 33,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4642011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pete_za/pseuds/pete_za
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>frank thinks 'down with cis' is a cool underground band</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. cool shirt i love that band

**Author's Note:**

> i figured that the bandom gets a lot of gay representation but not a lot of trans representation, so here is my contribution to that effort

{frank}

She was wearing a 'Down With Cis' shirt and I was confused.

Like any other person non-knowledged about sexual and gender orientation, I thought the shirt might have been referencing a cool band.

It wasn't unusual that I wanted to get the hell out of school, and as usual, I was looking for anything to be a distraction. So the girl who walked in class wearing a 'Down With Cis' shirt was my undecided distraction today. She took a seat near the front of the room and started to lay out all her materials neatly.

It was the middle of the school year and I had never noticed her until today. Maybe it was because I was so consumed with finally getting out of this hellhole, called high school, that I never even registered her. Which was strange because she was...cute. She certainly didn't blend in with the mass of students with her short-cropped black hair and smudgy eye makeup. But her dark clothes didn't particularly help her stand out either.

From the back of the class I watched her. Now, it was more than the shirt that interested me, it was her chipped fingernail polish and the way she tried to keep her movements as small and not noticeable as possible.This sudden infatuation was ridiculous. I needed to focus on making a solid C in this class and not some random girl. 

After class was over, I decided I would ask her about the shirt. I was aware that it was a cheap tactic to get to know her.

When the bell rang, signaling the end of class and the school day, I was the first person out of my seat and the only person standing beside the mysterious (new?) girl.

I tapped her on the shoulder and she whirled around, panic scrawled all over her face. I raised my hands in the surrender position so she would know I wasn't trying to harm her.

She took a step back to where she was pressed against her desk, "Can I help you?"

I stuttered for a moment before answering her.

"...I just wanted to say that I liked your shirt."

She raised a thick eyebrow and excitement crept on her face,"Really?"

"Yeah, I really like that band."

Then, she started to laugh hard. Very hard.

I started to get the feeling that Down With Cis wasn't a band. Mentally, I face palmed, but since I'm an idiot I kept up with the act.

"They're pretty underground. I’m surprised you were able to get merch; where'd you get the shirt?"

She giggled at my complete ignorance.

"You have no idea what Down With Cis means do you?"

"To be honest, I have no fucking idea." I scratched my neck.

At this point we were the last people in class. She glanced hurriedly down at her phone and huffed,"This was funny and all, but I need to go." She swung her bag onto her shoulder and started to sprint away. I chased after the battered converse and black knee socks. When I finally caught up with her, she was outside, standing beside a black car.

"What's your name?"

"You'll have to look 'Down With Cis' up."

She started to get into the car, but I still had questions.

"What does that even mean?"

"If you look it up you'll find out all you need to know. Then decide if you want to talk to me again."

She slammed the car door and the driver sped off.

Her last comment left me unsettled. It was vague and gave more questions than I already had. If it was something that would leave my image of her that tarnished, did I really want to know what it was?

I shook those thoughts out my head and started to walk home.


	2. you skype loudly shut up pete wentz

{Gee}

"Who was that back there?"

I rolled my eyes at my little brother's question, "No one."

"It didn't look like a no one Gee, the dude was practically chasing after you."

"Just leave me alone Mikes," I puffed a wisp of hair out of my eyes.

After receiving my dismissive answer, Mikey started rambling about his boyfriend Pete. They had met last summer and were practically anyone's gay relationship goals. As of now, Pete is in Japan because his dad is military, and it's like Mikey is right there with him with all the Skyping they do. Pete tells Mikey everything that happens, and Mikey then repeats everything to me. I'm basically the third wheel in their relationship. I tried to pretend that I had no interest at all about their love story; but in reality I wanted a relationship just as good, or better than theirs. But that was never going to happen.

Mikey pulled into our driveway and I scrambled to get out of the car.

We had been home for about an hour before Mikey came into my room, I immediately shut my laptop and whipped around to face him.

"What do you want?" I seethed.

He just rolled his eyes under those dumb tiny glasses and leaned against the doorframe.

"I'm surprised you've never asked about the guys."

"They would never ask about me, so I'm just returning the favor. Now leave me alone."

I started to shoo him away with my hand.

"That's the funny thing Gee, they do ask about you."

"Oh."

I wasn't expecting that. After being tortured for at least a year by my so-called friends I thought they would've forgotten about me by now.

"Gee?"

I looked down at the material of my skirt. Lindsey gifted me this skirt; it was one of my favorites. Now, I felt like burning it.

"Why all of a sudden do they care about me?"

"They heard about the...um...you being in the," his voice got softer, almost to a whisper, "hospital."

"Who told them." It wasn't a question, because I already knew the answer.

"Me," he said, his voice almost unintelligible.

"Get out of my room," I whispered. Mikey started to protest.

I started getting louder and my voice raised an octave, " Get out, get out, get out!"

I shoved Mikey from out of the doorway and slammed the door in his face.

"They said that they're sorry."

A cold ripple went through my body before I started to cry.

"...I don't forgive them. Any of them."

With my head in my hands sitting on my bedroom floor, I eventually heard Mikey's bare feet step away from my door. From the next room over, I heard the unmistakable Skype ringtone and the muffled cheery voice of Pete Wentz. Why does Pete always seem to have something to talk about, shut up Pete, for Christ's sake.

I didn't know how long I stayed in that position, but the next thing I knew, I was awake and sweaty and all cramped and it was–morning?

Heaving myself up, and ignoring my rumbling stomach, I went to go take a shower.

Fresh out of the shower with my towel tucked around my chest and another on my head, I poked around my room for clean clothes. I saw my custom 'Down With Cis' shirt and smiled, remembering that idiot form yesterday who thought it was a band. Well, he wasn't wrong. It is a band, but not of the musical sort, it's a band of angry non-cis individuals. What was his name? Did he even introduce himself?

A series of bangs on my door shot me out of my daydream.

"Five minutes Gee!"

"Fucking hell," I cursed, scrambling for something decent to wear.

I hopped in Mikey's car in record time, the previous record being yesterday.

I pulled out my makeup bag and started sweeping on mascara and eyeliner. When I put the cosmetics up, only then I realized that we hadn't moved from the driveway.

"Um, Mikes. Any other time I'd be like 'fuck it let's not go to school', but I kind of have important things to turn in today. So if you could start the car that would be ni-"

"I'M SORRY I TOLD EVERYONE ABOUT YOU BEING IN THE HOSPITAL. IT WASN'T MY BUSINESS TO TELL, BUT IT JUST SLIPPED OUT; THEY REALLY ARE SORRY GEE."

My little brother looked almost to tears.

"It's-it's okay Mikey, I forgive you," I sighed, running a hand haphazardly through my already messy hair.

"Okay," he quieted down from his dramatic outburst.

"Let's just worry about getting to school," I patted his hand softly.

A switched flipped inside me when Mikey pulled up to my school. I slung on my bag and said my goodbyes, but for some reason I was brought to say, "Can you tell Ray to come home with you today?" (A/N oh fuck that all rhymes)

Mikey's glasses slid down his nose even further, which was an accomplishment on its own.

"What?"

"Just do it," I said and walked away.


	3. D Weed, the mom

{frank}

As I was sulking into school, I collided with someone who was rushing into the building. Where's the fire dude? I hate to break it to you, but the suffering called school isn't going anywhere.

When my thoughts stopped scrambling I looked at the person on the verge of a panic attack lying on the ground. It almost served them right for being in a rush. But as soon as that last thought appeared, I regretted it. Because the person on the ground was none other than the girl from yesterday, the cis girl or something like that (I think).

She looked at me, I looked at her.

"Oh fuck!" I shouted. "I'm so fucking sorry."

"No, no it's totally my fault, I wasn't paying attention."

I extended a hand, and after hesitating she took it.

She stood up and tried to fix her bra and skirt discreetly; I pretended not to notice.

"You're the girl I met yesterday right? The cis girl."

She burst into laughter,"I only wish I was a cis girl."

I tilted my head in confusion.

Her eyes widened as she seemed to remember that I was in her presence, and the giggles died as soon as they arrived. She sighed.

"I don't think I actually introduced myself yesterday. I'm Gee." She looked at me and smiled with a mouth full tiny teeth, I felt my face heat up.

"I-I'm Frank."

"It's nice to finally put a name to the face, Frank."

As I struggled to come up with a witty comment, a voice jutted in the conversation.

"Stop making heart eyes Frank and get to class."

A hand grabbed at my collar, and started to pull me away. I fought against it to no avail.

"Really Dewees?" I huffed as he threw me into my desk. "I was making progress with her."

" _Really Dewees_?" he mimicked. "What you need to make progress on is your grades."

"Oh fuck off," I rolled my eyes. Even though he was a Mom at times James Dewees is the closest thing I have to a friend. And I would never admit it to him, but he was right about my grades, they were downright shitty. If I wanted to graduate sometime before my death they would need to be a lot higher.

 

About halfway through the class I got a text from Dewees.

D WEED: what were u talking to that girl for??

me: chill mom

D WEED: ...anyway

me: remember the girl i told u about, with the shirt?

D WEED: yeah thats her i guess

me: yep

D WEED: she looks a little... off if u know what i mean

me: ???

D WEED: i cant explain it

me: and ur point is?

D WEED: nvm ill try to explain later

D WEED: but sorry for interrupting ur conversation

me: its whatever

It obviously wasn't whatever to Frank, but whatever.

 

We had a pact to not sit with other people at lunch, and I broke it. I didn't mean to blow off Dewees at lunch, but it happened.

This began freshman year when I had no friends to sit with at lunch, and he also had no friends to sit with him at lunch. Our four year long mutual acquaintanceship was based on not wanting to commit the social sin of sitting alone at lunch. And for the entirety of high school that's mostly what it's been with me and Dewees; chatting in class, sticking up for each other when the need arose, and not letting each other eat alone at lunch. It was a beautiful symbiosis, and I had just altered the course of our niche in the habitat called high school.

Instead of walking inside, I decided to cut through the courtyard to get to lunch. My goal, like every other day, was to get to Dewees. But today there was a distraction, Gee. She sat alone at one of the picnic tables in the courtyard, picking at whatever she had brought to eat. I didn't even think if she wanted company or not, I just went. And sat. And she looked up from the salad she was poking. And smiled shyly with those tiny teeth of hers.

"Hi."

"Oh, hi!"

There was a pause.

"You're new here right?"

"Yep," she nodded tucking a chunk of black hair behind her ear.

"Where'd you come from?"

"My mother's womb."

I started to stutter and she laughed, probably at my discomfort.

"I know what you meant Frank," she grinned," I actually went to the other high school here in Belleville."

"Oh! Then why'd you move schools?"

Gee's grip tightened on the fork she held.

"Reasons. Mainly people issues."

She reached to adjust the bra strap under her shirt.

"So you were being... bullied?"

Gee got quiet,"Something like that."

"Well then I'm really sorry about it, no one should have to go through that. You probably didn't deserve all they put you through."

Gee fiddled with the other bra strap this time. I still pretended not to notice. After a minute of awkward silence, an off hand comment triggered us into full blown conversation. I was entirely too excited to actually be in conversation with someone. It felt exactly like what having a best friend would. When this thought struck me, I tried to not think of Dewees.

Near the end of lunch I finally got to ask her the question I've had since yesterday.

"Hey Gee, remember yesterday when you had that shirt on and wouldn't tell me what it said? And then you told me to look it up?"

Her eyebrows furrowed and she started to look worried, I continued.

"I was going to look it up... but honestly I was afraid. The way that you implied it was scary. Like what could be so horrible about someone that you wouldn't want to talk to them again-

Gee started to cut me off, laughing overly loud, "Don't worry about it! That's just something I use to scare people and it looked like it worked!"

I might be dumb but I'm smart enough to know what a fake laugh sounds like. "So I don't -"

"Don't worry about it Frankie."

"Frankie?" I laughed.

Instantly, the cloud of the stiff conversation lifted.

"Yeah, _Frankie_ , don't worry about it."

Our heads whipped around to face Dewees.

I scowled at him, and Gee messed with her bra strap.

"Why do you always do that?" I asked, not realizing it was probably a rude thing to say.

The hand partially inside her shirt froze. My heavier set acquaintance narrowed his eyes; Gee crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

The bell rang and Gee who was now red in the face, grabbed her bag and bolted from the table.

I threw a piece of salad from Gee's lunch at Dewees.

"What the fuck man! You just don't stare a a girl's boobs like that."

"You don't leave me to fend alone at lunch - her boobs aren't real anyway."

"What are you talking about? I know what they look like, unlike you James. The only breasts you've seen are the ones on PornHub, you wouldn't know what a real boob looked like if it came out of the glow of your laptop and slapped you! Now can you please stick your dick somewhere else other than my ass and get the fuck away from me! And don't let me catch you talking about Gee again."

"What. Ever." Dewees put his hands up in the surrender position and backed away from me. He looked beyond pissed.

A slow clap came from a distance away. I shot daggers at the person, but they still decided to walk over.

His name was Bread bin - no Beebo - no Brendan? All I knew was that he was popular as hell and had a massive ass forehead.

"You're welcome to join us at lunch anytime, that was quite an impressive telling off," he smirked. A kid with a bowl cut peeked out from behind his shadow.

I ran a hand through my hair, "Thanks, but no thanks man."

"The invitation's always open." The guy sauntered away.

"See you later!" Bowl Cut waved.

I racked my head for knowledge of those two but only came up with some milky rumor that was more than likely debunked long ago.

I wondered how Gee was doing.


	4. pete and mikey have skype sex regularly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some content may be triggering: mild body dysphoria

{no pov}

Gee Way was not doing okay.

She struggled to keep composed in the girls' bathroom where the stall walls felt like they were closing in on her. 

She knew people would be in and out of the bathroom, so she hung her bag on the hook and pulled her feet up under her perch on the toilet seat. She knew she had to keep the sobs quiet and the sniffles infrequent. She used to know the optimal times to disappear into the bathroom and what bathrooms were the least trafficked. Well, at her old school Gee did. She memorized bathroom logistics to the point where they were the only things that kept her through the school day. It was the only certainty in her long, dark period of uncertainty.

The times when she still struggled to tuck correctly, and the times when her makeup looked more like a hooker's rather than a teenage girl's.The times when her hair was too short to tuck behind her ears, and how now she practically could. (Gee pretended like it was whatever, but on the inside she was raving about it.) She tried to focus on the happy things that happened to her in the recent past, rather than the upsetting ones.

Like getting discharged from the hospital and Mikey saying that he was "so proud of his big sister" and Frank, darling little Frank for thinking her custom 'Down With Cis' shirt was a band. Gee laughed a little and started to wipe at her eyes.

Her mantra whistled through her head: everything will be okay, everything will be okay, everything will be okay. Over and over again.

The bathroom stall unlocked with a 'click' and Gee headed to a sink to wash her puffy face.

"Are you okay?" Gee's stomach sunk and she dared not to face the voice. Instead she chose to wash off the makeup running down her cheeks.

The person with the voice tapped her on the shoulder. Gee jumped, splashing water all over the counter.

"I'm Hayley and we're gonna be friends." The girl with orange hair smiled.

 

By the end of the day, Frank wasn't doing too good either. He probably should have spotted Gee's kitten knee socks and white converse in the halls by now. He was worried, more worried than a person who just met someone yesterday should be.

But when Gee turned up during his last class, his worries were put to rest. Frank decided to tell her what was running through his mind since lunch.The Big Question.

Frank was going to ask Gee to be Friends. He figured that something Really Bad had happened at her old school and he wanted to make sure nothing Really Bad happened to her ever again. And the fact that Gee was the cutest and most beautiful girl Frank had ever met had nothing to do with it. Probably.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Frank waited like a nice young man on Gee to finish her conversation with Hayley. The only reason Frank knew Hayley was because she was the only person who managed to be shorter than him.

 

{gee}

When Frank slid in front of me and flipped his shaggy fringe out of his eyes, I was expecting the worst. But what I wasn't expecting was:

"Will you be my friend?"

The corners of my mouth turned up a little.

"Of course Frankie."

He beamed.

"Is it okay if I walk you home from school? I'm not trying to be weird or anything I promise."

After a minute of hesitation, I agreed. I texted Mikey and told him not to worry about picking me up.

"Who are you texting?" he asked once we were outside the building.

"My brother, he's usually picks me up from school."

Frank frowned, " I hope this isn't a problem."

I tried to not laugh, "It certainly isn't, he's probably racing home to have skype sex with his boyfriend."

I checked Frank's reaction.

"So your brother's gay?"

"Mikey's bi actually," I corrected, "are you okay with that or ...."

"No I'm fine with it. Actually, I don't think I know any gay people." He thought about it for a second. 

"Really?"

"Nope." He popped the p and looped his fingers through the straps on his back pack.

"Your friend Dewees is gay."

Frank stopped in his tracks. "What?"

I paled and regretted my outing the guy.

"I thought you knew."

My brain raced: yikes, yikes, yikes, yikes, yikes. just shake off the bad vibes geeway. you got this. everything will be okay...

"We're not that close," Frank muttered.

"Oh."

"How did you know?"

"Gay people can sense other gay people. It's a common fact," I said nonchalant and kicked a rock.

"You're gay too!?" he groaned. I heard a muttered, "All the good ones are gay."

I wasn't sure if his statement was concerning or not.

"I'm pansexual, look it up Frankie."

After a millennia of heavy silence, I stopped walking and pointed, "This is my house, thanks for walking me."

Frank blushed a little, "No problem Gee."

We quickly traded numbers and exchanged goodbyes, but not before a large head of hair bounded out of my house.

"Ger- Gee!" it screamed and hugged me. "I'm so glad you're doing better."

Frank had an expression on his face that I couldn't place. The closest thing I could compare it to was constipation.

"Thank you Ray, it means a lot." I whispered into the massive fro.

Frank eyed Ray's arm that was casually slung around my waist. I didn't care about where Ray's arm was, he was one of the only people I still vaguely trusted.

"Frank this is Ray, Ray this is Frank."

"I need to go," Frank huffed.

He turned on his heel and sped off.

Ray shrugged at Frank's erratic behavior and started to pull me inside the house, excitedly telling me all the things I was missing at our old school.

I eventually figured out the expression on Frank's face, it was jealously.


	5. frank's masculinity is threatened, or the introduction of princess fro fro

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayyye second chapter for today because i can

trigger mention: suicide

Small Frank Iero tried to stomp all the way home.

When he realized that Gee's house was all the way across town from his, he decided that he should conserve the rest of his energy for walking and that muttering angrily would be the second best option to express his unhappiness.

Small Frank Iero muttered all the way home.

If you happened to be one of the poor unfortunate souls who had to pass Frank on the sidewalk that afternoon, you would catch phrases like, "She's too tall for me anyway." And "Is she into guys with big hair? But that dude was just big all around he was horse sized, he could step on me." Also "Maybe if I grow an afro she'll like me more. Can I grow an afro?" and the always present question in the back of Frank's mind "What if I grew a little more like maybe five inches- no not even that I'll take three inches even. I'll take anything."

Frank was so into the muttering that he didn't realize he had received three messages until he arrived home.

(1) Text message from geeway:)

(2) Text messages from D WEED

He smiled when he saw how Gee had put her contact into his phone, but it quickly turned into a scowl when he saw he had notifications from Dewees.

 

Gee had sent a text to Frank almost twenty minutes ago and he still hadn't responded. She assured herself that he was still walking home or didn't check his phone often. She told herself that that was the case many times.

Her phone was hidden under her thighs, as she didn't want to be rude to Ray. Even though she did forget about inviting him over, that should be no excuse.

The pair were in Gee's room sitting on her bed and leaning back on her headboard, as Ray talked on and on animatedly about the latest drama that Gee had been missing out on, but wouldn't have cared about even if she was still at her old school. She waited on the buzz of a new message to come from underneath her thigh.

"...Long story short, Alicia is pregnant."

This piqued her interest. Gee was sure Alicia was the name of a girl Mikey dated at one point.

"Mikey's ex?"

"The one and only," Ray nodded, his hair bobbing along with his head. "But enough about me what about you? How have you been doing Gee?"

Gee started to grin. "Well entirely less shitty than when you last saw me, I'm making friends."

"Was that kid who walked you home one of your friends?"

Gee rolled her eyes, "Frank's not a kid, he's the same age as the both of us Ray. He's just vertically challenged."

"That's an awfully nice way to say short."

"Shut up Princess Fro Fro," Gee and Ray stuck out their tongues at each other and laughed.

"But seriously, Gee , are you doing okay. I know you got out of the hospital not too long ago and it's important –

Gee cut him off, "I don't know why my brother opened his big fucking mouth. He had no reason to tell you guys about what was going on with me."

Ray raised his voice, "He had every right Gee, you fucking took a whole bottle of pills! You nearly slit all the way through your wrists!"

She flinched but Ray wasn't done talking.

"It had been weeks since we'd heard from you and we kept asking Mikey until one day it slipped out and can you imagine how horrible everyone must have felt?"

"Good," Gee muttered.

"What!" shouted Ray incredulously.

"I said 'good' Ray do I have to spell it out for you? I don't know how hard it is to understand that I felt horrible – no suicidal and depressed for a year and a half because of the way you guys treated me. And you're telling me that everyone felt bad because I was in the damn hospital! I wish that you guys had felt a fraction of what I felt. I wanted to die, so bad and it almost happened Ray. I never asked for a damn pity party Ray, I want fucking apologies."

Gee hadn't noticed but during her lecture, tears had started streaking down her face. How many times a day did she have to cry? She covered her face with her hands.

Ray enveloped her in a one of a kind, Toro hug. Gee let herself sink into it, she needed the love.

When her sobs had gotten quieter, Ray spoke, "I'm sorry I never stood up for you. I know letting what happened to you happen was just as bad as bullying you about your transition and I'm just really sorry that I didn't tell them to back off."

Gee pulled away from Ray and dabbed her eyes with her sleeve. "I forgive you Ray. You still were a friend to me during that whole period and that was the main thing."

"I just didn't want to loose one of my best friends, I was scared Gee."

"I know," she whispered.

Ray put his hand on the exposed part of Gee's thigh, in between where the skirt and her knee sock stopped.

"Ray..." she trailed off staring at the tan of his hand contrasted to the paleness of her thigh.

"I understand."

He removed his hand.

"It's okay," Gee breathed.

The heavy moans and breathy panting began one room over. They weren't exactly soft, but you could tell Mikey was trying to keep the noise down.

"That's my cue to say goodbye," Ray laughed checking the time on his phone.

"Good old Sweet Little Dudes," they chorused chuckling.

"See you tomorrow?" Gee prompted.

"See you tomorrow," Ray grinned.

Gee pressed a kiss to his temple, "Good."

Blushing either from the kiss or the moans from the next room (knowing him, it was a mixture of both) Ray heaved himself of Gee's bed.

He slipped on his shoes and Gee walked him to the front door, seeing him out.

She bounded back up the stairs to pound on Mikey's door and complain about the noise.

 

When Mikey Way was interrupted from his homework with a Skype call from Pete, he was not expecting his boyfriend to be naked.

He absentmindedly hit the green button and said something like a greeting while looking back down at his work. Pete waited for his boyfriend to do a double take before saying anything. When he finally processed everything and started to look back at the screen slowly, Mikey's glasses slid all the way down his nose. The boy half a world away laughed.

"Hi Pete."

"Hello Moikey."

Mikey heavy breathed, he jumped up to lock his door and sat back down on his bed in front of the laptop.

"You know I miss you so, so much baby."

"Mmhmm," Mikey's voice was stuck in his throat.

Usually when they wanted to have internet sex, they planned it around when they were both alone. Alone in Mikey's case meaning just his sister being home.

"I have a problem baby, are you gonna help me fix it?" Pete languidly said.

A shiver trailed its way down Mikey's spine and he nodded so quickly that Pete thought his glasses were gonna fly off, he hurriedly shed his clothes.

Pete started stroking his length and a look of pure ecstasy washed over his face.

"I wish this was you Mikes. So badly."

"I know, " Mikey let out a small groan.

"You ready Moikey," Pete grinned seductively.

"Fuckin' ready baby."

 

It was ten o'clock at night and Frank was staring at his phone. He had been doing this for the last couple of hours. The text that Gee sent him was staring at him in the face. It wasn't even that hard of a question to answer, Frank was just nervous as hell. So he gave up on it and texted Dewees back.

D WEED: look im sorry about what happened @ lunch today

D WEED: I just got jealous over that new girl

Frank rolled his eyes at the screen. He couldn't blame him. Frank would have done the same thing if Dewees blew him off.

frnk: why

D WEED: bc I have a crush on you

D WEED: even if u dont like me back im ok w/ that I just figured now's a better time to tell u than any else

read 10:37

Frank started screaming on the inside. He read the message without responding. This was a good time to think more about what to say to Gee. Frank opened their conversation.

4:45 pm

Geeway:) : ru upset?

10:40 pm

Frankie: Dewees has a crush on me

Geeway:) : that's nice but you never answered my question

Gee replied instantly. Frank rolled his eyes.

Frankie: I was upset but im kinda over it now

Geeway:) : was it about ray?

Frank thought that Gee was too smart for her own good.

Frankie: um yeah since you said it

Geeway:) : no need to worry ray's just a v old friend ;)

Truthfully, Frank's masculinity felt threatened by tall and rugged (and did I mention tall?) Ray Toro. He wanted out of this topic quickly.

Frankie: im going to change the topic

Frankie: whats gee short for?

Geeway:) : nothing its just Gee

Frankie: so your parents named you that or is it a nickname

Gee decided that straight boys were too much to handle. She wanted to change the focus of the conversation because her being trans is the last thing Frank needed to be aware about.

Geeway:) : whats frank short for? franklin?

Frankie: no of course not

Frankie: that's my dog's name

Geeway :) : YOU HAVE A DOG

Frankie: *dogs, I have //so many// dogs

Geeway :) : IM ALWAYS A SLUT FOR DOGS

Gee mentally smacked herself. No matter what her texts said, she does not condone or engage in bestiality.

Frankie: *whew* I thought I was the only one :)

At their respective residences across town from each other, Frank and Gee had the same thoughts. They sent and received the texts at the same time.

Geeway:) : this is the start of a beautiful friendship

Frankie: this is the start of a beautiful friendship


	6. cause darling I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of suffering

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ORIGINALLY HAD TWO DIFFERENT CHAPTERS FOR THIS PART AND I FIXED IT SO ITS TWICE AS HEARTWRENCHING AND EVERYONE WILL PROBABLY HATE ME BY THE END OF IT , ITS SUFFERING TIME EVERYONE :))))) 
> 
> EVERYONE ON WATTPAD CHEWED ME OUT BC OF THIS CHAPTER

**Also trigger mention: f*ggot slur

IT WAS PAST MIDNIGHT. FRANK's smol hands were curled around his cell phone. The glow of his screen illuminated his room. One of his dogs, Sweetpea, was curled against him, fast asleep.

His and Gee's text conversation had stopped about an hour ago with Gee claiming that she needed beauty rest. Frank would have normally wittily responded that she needed all the sleep she could get, but Gee was way too pretty for him to even joke about it.

Usually at this hour Frank would be asleep, or too scared to sleep. (depending on if he tried to watch a horror movie before bed or not, because let's face it Frank is precious, no matter how hard he tried to conceal it)

But tonight was different, he decided that sleep was for the weak and if more than half of his classmates stayed up this late, he could too. Tonight, Frank was on a mission.

He was educating himself. Well, first it started out with looking up what pansexual meant. Frank already knew what the terms gay, lesbian, and bisexual meant. He, like many other straight boys had once used lesbian as a way of defining himself, and know knew why that was problematic, and also why Dewees would always give him funny looks when Frank would try to explain a thing about sexuality.

"No wonder he never came out to me," Frank said aloud at two in the morning.

It was almost like an epiphany to Frank, how wrong he was about everything. He made a mental note to thank Gee in the morning, because googling pansexual opened up a whole new world for Frank.

Frank found wiki articles, and urban dictionary pages and even more things he wasn't aware about.

"What do you mean there's more than two genders!" he almost shouted at one point.

He clicked on the link, Frank was redirected to a site that he had only heard about once or twice. Tumblr. He read a masterpost or two about the subject he was trying hard to wrap his head around.

Frank saw a post with a shirt that looked almost like Gee's, the 'Down With Cis' shirt. It was a link to the Etsy where you could purchase it, but no explanation of what it meant or referred to.

He opened up another tab in his phone's browser, before typing the phrase in, he remembered Gee's uncomfortable laugh when he asked about it. A red flag or two went off in his brain. Frank searched 'Down With Cis'.

A link that took him back to tumblr popped up. There was a text post.

"Here's a thing that happened to one of my friends. I was there.

Basically, we were walking down the sidewalk, talking about something meaningless. I think it had to do with a movie. Then this bus screeches up, stops next to us, and a bunch of people with "Down with Cis" shirts climbed out and started beating him up. I was punched and kicked a bit too, but I managed to avoid brutalization by going for their faces. After figuring out what's happening, I started attacking them back, getting them off of him. He was quite injured but I called 911 and he made a full recovery at the hospital. I was fine, with only a cut on my arm that they patched up."

[a/n this is the real text post from tumblr where I got the idea for this fic from]

"What the fuck?"

This left him with way more questions than he came with. Frank decided that Gee was lying about the shirt.

He wanted to know more though. Franks fingers itched to type all the questions he had. What does cis mean? it describes gender identity, where individuals identify with the sex they were assigned at birth

"Okay, so Gee's not cis?" he guessed wearily, sending up a silent prayer that Gee was nonbinary or something.

He thought back to the things that Dewees had implied about Gee and as much as he didn't want to ask, Frank got the answer he dreaded.

Frnk: so tell me whts up w/ gee why do you always say that sumthings off about her

D WEED: dude ur my friend and I wanna tell u but I kinda don't

Frnk: im waiting

D WEED: gee's a dude

Frnk: shit what man

D WEED: a chick with a dick shes trans or whatever that's why I said she looked off

Simply put, Frank was disgusted. He thought he would be okay with all her – no, Frank thought – his gay stuff, but now he wasn't. At all.

 

IT WAS MIDDAY. DEWEES thought Frank looked even moodier today than his usual small and threatening demeanor allowed. Which Dewees thought made Frank look even more cute, but ultimately would make it a litter harder for Dewees to accomplish what he wanted, but that was life. James Dewees had his mind set on doing the thing he had wanted to do since freshman year, four years ago. He figured they were seniors now, so fuck it. He was kind of in the mood where the consequences of his actions were irrelevant.

Looking cooler than ever, Dewees walked into the lunchroom. The crowd parted for him to pass, somehow feeling the suave and confident aura he radiated today.

"Frank," Dewees stated.

"Dewees?" Frank questioned.

Dewees started to speak but Frank spoke over him.

"Look dude if you're apologizing about what happened yesterday, you don't need to worry about it. I'm sorry about ruining our friendship over some girl."

Dewees had never heard Frank use the word 'friendship' to describe their relationship before. And Dewees never thought he would.

"Really?"

Frank nodded.

"That wasn't the reason I came to talk to you though," Dewees took a step closer to Frank, "this is why."

Dewees leaned down and captured Frank's lips with his own and for a second he thought that Frank was kissing back. When he felt the fist collide with his face, he realized that living his dream had become a nightmare.

**

"What the actual fuck, faggot!"

Frank wiped the taste of Dewees off his lips and stormed off.

 

IT WAS LATE AFTERNOON. MIKEY was waiting on Pete to start their daily Skype call. But today, Pete was late. About an hour late. Mikey pressed his lips into a thin line, hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

"Sure he's forgetful, but would he totally forget about calling me?"

After another thirty minutes of waiting Pete finally called. Mikey didn't feel like pushing the green button on the screen, so he didn't. Pete called two more times without answering. On the third time Mikey answered. When the video finished buffering, Pete saw the frown on Mikey's face.

"What's wrong –

"You were late," Mikey monotoned.

"Yeah I know, but I got some great news."

"What," Mikey's salty façade started to melt.

"My dad is being moved again –

"Good for you."

"Back to Jersey."

Mikey seriously regretted not picking up earlier.

"When! When When!" Mikey said, not trying to stay composed.

"I don't know exactly when, but I'll be able to finally see you again baby."

All the both of them could do was smile.

IT WAS NINE IN THE AFTEROON. FRANK found himself on the front porch step of the Way residence. The girl Frank was looking for and the walking afro were in Gee's room, but Frank didn't know that. So he waited for someone to answer the door.

Gee had been flirting with Ray since they had gotten to her house. It was good for Ray because he had always had loved Gee.

"Stop it Ray," Gee said mock hurt, over emphasizing her words, she lightly hit him on the chest.

They were having a tickle war and everyone that knew Gee Way well, knew that she was always a slut for tickles. Not to skip over their silly shenanigans, but that tickle war had developed into something bigger.

First Gee was being tickled and the next thing she knew was that Ray was on top of her, pinning her arms down.

"Ray..."

They stared at each other before Ray moved in to kiss her. Gee didn't try to stop him. The kisses got hungrier and Gee pulled her hands out of Ray's grasp to bring him down and closer to her.

Frank rang the doorbell again, getting agitated.

"Ray..." Gee said and this time she was moaning and grinding against him.

Frank felt like a stupid idiot when he realized that the door had been unlocked the entire time. He walked up the stairs and saw a door with a sign that read 'Gee's Room'.

Frank opened the door to Gee's room. Ray was shirtless and his hand was thrust down Gee's skirt. Their faces separated in time to see Frank, red as a beet, before he dashed out of the house.

 

IT WAS NIGHTTIME IN JAPAN. PETE had just heard from Mikey that he wanted them to breakup.

The reason being: "Long distance relationships are toxic Pete, even if you were to come back, nothing would be the same."

 

 

Gee, Dewees, Mikey, Frank, and even Pete, halfway around the world asleep in class, jolted awake from their nightmares. A good portion of them were crying, but they all were drenched from head to toe in a cold, sticky sweat. Everyone was too anxious about what happened in their heads to get back to sleep. They were terrified that if they fell asleep again something worse than what they just experienced would happen. And no one in their wildest dreams would want that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry about all of this (comment your thoughts)


	7. *to the tune of that song* dream, dream, dream, dreeeaamm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> will this chapter make up for the last? who knows

Gee was understandably the most shaken up person after last nights' tumultuous events. Or in these cases, lack of events.

Dewees just really wanted someone to call a friend (or possibly boyfriend), and obviously it wouldn't ever be Frank.

Mikey was the only person to have a happy dream, and also the only person to wake up completely devastated about something that wasn't going to happen.

Pete's greatest fear was losing Mikey. But Pete already lost part of him when he went back to Japan.

And Frank was just a jealous and sexually frustrated teenager, who really liked Gee and really didn't like her weird tall friend he'd only met once, Ray.

 

Gee didn't feel well enough to go to school that day.

"C'mon Gee! Let's go!" Mikey shouted walking into her room. Her brother stopped yelling when he saw that his sister was reduced to a lump under the sheets.

"I'm not going," a small voice emanated from the sheet pile.

"Do you want me to get mom?" Mikey offered, pointing downstairs to dictate where their mother most likely was. He realized that Gee couldn't see him so he stopped.

"That would be nice."

Gee's mother walked into her daughter's room and called her Gerard. Gee cringed from under the blankets, this was not the day for people to be calling her that name.

Momma Way immediately apologized. Gee told her that it was okay. Under her blankets Gee smiled a bit because she was thankful. For some people it wasn't like this, they didn't have a supportive family to come out to and still be safe in. Gee figured she could endure the slipups that occurred from time to time.

"What's wrong Gee?" She sat down on the side of the bed.

"Jus' don't feel good."

"You sure?"

Something like a nod came from the sheets.

"I'll be leaving for work in," there was a pause," about an hour. Do you need anything?"

Silence.

"Okay just make sure you take it easy today."

Momma Way pecked a kiss on the headsized lump closest to Gee's pillow and made her exit. After Gee heard her mom's car leave the driveway an hour later, she pulled herself out from the womb like cocoon of sheets.

She ran a hand through her sweaty hair and checked her phone. There were a couple of texts from Frank from in the middle of the night and this morning. Gee didn't bother to answer them.

A long steamy shower. One cup of coffee turned to two cups of coffee. Toast. Some reruns of Fresh Prince of Bel Air. And at one point Gee was so bored that she even cleaned her room.

The doorbell rang. Gee opened the door wearing nothing but an oversized shirt that reached midthigh; she looked at the girl who stood there and then slammed the door back.

 

School had been hell for Dewees and Frank today.

Frank was acting a little overdramatic. Dewees was avoiding Frank to no avail. Frank decided this morning, when he was still recovering from his nightmare, that he should fix things with Dewees. Dewees, who used to be the biggest Frank enthusiast, wanted noting to do with him.

But, what Frank wanted, Frank got. The bigger boy found himself cornered in the bathroom by Frank. They didn't say anything for a good two minutes, probably because the chase that Dewees put up left Frank winded.

"Soo..." Dewees drifted off, still watching Frank catch his breath.

"Shit you run fast." Frank said. It didn't come out as fluidly as Frankie had hoped, it was more choppy because he was still taking in gallons of air.

"Save some for the rest of us," Dewees joked.

Frank leaned (but it was more like a fall) against the bathroom wall.

"I think I'm having an asthma attack." Frank said more calmly than he felt.

"Do you even have asthma?"

Frank shot Dewees a 'what do you think?' look.

"Nurse's office?" Frank nodded with vigor.

 

Later on, when Frank wasn't dying, Dewees spoke.

"Why have you been following me around all day? That's not like you."

Frank sighed,"I wanted to apologize." Dewees stiffened.

"For what."

"For being a douche canoe to you all this time." Frank stopped Dewees from saying 'it's okay'. "It's not okay James. Look, I was thinking that we could actually be friends."

The corner of Dewees's lip turned up, "I would like that."

 

At the front door of Gee's house stood the one, the only, Lindsey Ballato. Gee refused to let the girl who ruined her life inside.

"Please Gee, we need to talk."

"I don't think so." Gee shouted from behind the door.

Gee's ex best friend protested.

"I'll call the cops on you."

"You would never." Gee could almost feel Lindsey rolling her eyes and putting her hand on her hip. The sassy tone was evident especially with the bubblegum smacking in her mouthh. "The sooner you let me in, sooner I'll be gone."

Gee opened the door slowly, a large frown present on her face. Lindsey moved in to hug her and Gee dodged it.

"I never gave you permission to hug me," Gee said darkly.

"Right." The other girl pressed her lips together.

"Ray told me he visited you yesterday." Gee made a mental note to cuss him out when he came over today. "And I knew you would never ask me over. So I cut school to come and talk things out."

"Wow, you're such a great friend." Gee said sarcastically.

"Why are you being such a bitch Gee! After all I've done for you!" Gee recoiled offended.

"All you've done for me? You outed me to the entire school Lindsey!"

"I don't know why that was such a big deal-

Gee pressed a hand to her forehead. "You need to go."

"I helped you buy makeup and skirts and all the lacey things you loved from Victoria's when you weren't passing Gee. You needed me."

"Okay wow, you like literally need to go." Gee felt sick. At least she didn't invite Lindsey all the way in. They still were standing by the front door.

Gee opened the door and shoved Lindsey out. "Goodbye Ballato." She said curtly, slamming the door.

 

Ray did receive a good cursing at when he got home with Mikey.

"I didn't think she would actually do anything."

"This is Lindsey, Ray, she's the baddest bitch we know of course she would."

They were laying on Gee's bed, staring up at the glow in the dark stickers that they both put on the ceiling when they were in middle school.

The doorbell rang for the second time today. Gee yelled for Mikey to get it. The friends heard Mikey say something to Pete and leave his room to answer the door.

"It's Frank?" Mikey yelled.

"Tell him to wait a second!" She yelled back.

Gee cursed and went to grab some leggings and a bra to put on under the large tee shirt she was still wearing, and if she tried maybe she could quickly tuck. Since they had been friends for the longest, Gee never had a problem with not being fully dressed around Ray.

She sent a pleading look at Ray.

"I'll entertain him."

Gee booked it to the bathroom.

Frank walked upstairs, feeling the oddest sense of déjà vu. He walked into Gee's room and saw Ray sitting on the bed playing with his phone. Frank narrowed his eyes. "Ray."

His hair bounced when Ray looked up. Frank thought that he could totally take down anyone with hair that soft. "Hey Frank!" he said cheerily.

He looked around the room,"Where's Gee?"

"In the bathroom," Ray shrugged and started to make small talk with him.

Frank kicked himself for hating a guy who was this nice. Any rational person could tell that Ray wasn't the type of person to go around having sex with his friends. "Or was he?" Frank thought.

Frank sat down on the bed and tried to make himself small as possible. Which wasn't possible because he was already so s m o l.

Gee rushed in the room, finally decent.

"Hey Frank," she smiled wearily, all of the memories from her dream last night hitting her like a ton of bricks.

Frank turned a little red, "I just noticed that you weren't at school today, so I just wanted to check up on you."

Ray gave Gee a look. Ray knew all about the dream, Gee told him all about it at three o'clock in the morning when she couldn't fall asleep.

"That's sweet." Ray finally said.

Gee crawled back to her spot on the bed beside Ray. This raised Frank's suspicions that the duo were fucking, and confirmed our suspicons that Frank is a total idiot. "How could Gee like him though?" he thought.

"I wasn't feeling too good this morning. Nothing too serious, but thanks for wondering." She faked a tiny cough.

There was shouting from the next room over.

"When have Pete and Mikey ever fought?" Ray looked at Gee.

Her eyebrows furrowed, "Don't know."

She turned to Frank, "Remember when I told you about my little brother and his boyfriend?" Frank nodded. "That's them, Pete lives in Japan so they Skype everyday."

"If they're fighting..."

"That means .... Make up sex," Gee groaned.

"They have a lot of skype sex. Well not sex, it's more like masturbating on camera," Ray filled in for Frank.

Frank laughed. Gee chuckled along with him. Soon Ray joined and they were all a laughing mess.

The moans from the next room over started. They all stopped laughing.

"Let's go downstairs," Gee said walking towards her bedroom door.

The boys agreed with her wholeheartedly.


	8. burn baby burn

The trio toed their way down the Way's stairs. Gee walked into the living room and plopped down in the middle of the couch, leaving room on both sides for Ray and Frank. She patted the two spots beside her.

Ray immediately ran for the left side, his favorite side, and Frank timidly sat on the right making sure that he left enough space between him and Gee and that he wasn't leaning directly on the fancy decorative pillows. Ray pulled his feet up on the couch and Gee used his shoulder as a pillow. They stared expectantly at Frank from the far side of the couch, Frank stared uneasily back at them. Basically, the first time over at someone's house, like every other human being, was a real struggle for Frank.

"So tell me about yourself Frank," Ray started. He was intrigued at the small yet mysterious presence on the other side of his best friend.

"There's not a lot to know about me," Frank started. He hesitated for a second before continuing, "I have a shit ton of dogs at home, like 5, and I play guitar a little."

Gee squealed when Frank mentioned his dogs. Ray squealed when Frank mentioned guitars.

Ray got excited and started to lean in closer to Frank. "You know Gee's like such a slut for dogs right!"

"No need to remind him, we've already had this conversation," Gee said through gritted teeth. Frank started to blush.

"And you should know that Ray is an even bigger slut for guitar," Gee rolled her eyes.

Frank laughed really hard. "We should jam sometime Ray."

"Mikey also plays bass," Gee interjected.

"It seems as if we could start a band or something."

They all laughed at the silly notion of them becoming a band with a cool ass name and making it big. One day living out of a tiny van and playing tinier venues, and the next, selling out arenas, owning a real tour bus and becoming the most dangerous band in the world.

"So are you guys like best friends or something?"

"Yeah," Ray and Gee said, nodding. They narrowed their eyes at each other. "Jinx!" "Jinx again!" "Sweet Little Dudes." "Bronies for life." "Thanks Obama!" "Down with capitalism."

"I'll fuck a guitar." Gee said at the same time Ray said," I'll fuck a dog."

They burst into laughter, Frank included. Mikey walked downstairs and peeked his head in the room where they were sitting.

"Can you and your friends like, maybe keep it down Gee? I'm trying to talk to Pete." He snapped.

"Can you like maybe keep it down when you and Pete are masturbating? I'm trying to talk to my friends." Gee shot back mimicking him. Frank stifled the urge to whip out his phone and use his air horn app. Mikey had been seriously burned. Mikey started to stutter and redden, trying to have the last say in this disagreement.

"W-well what would Mom think about you having boys in your room." His older sister rolled her eyes at his silly thought. Gee stuck her middle finger up. "What would Mom think about this?"

"What would Mom think about what?" Mama Way walked into the room full of teenagers, just getting home from work.

Four blank faces stared back at her.

Mikey burst into raucous laughter, shooting out of the room and back to his Skype call with Pete. Gee's middle finger cranked back into her fist. They heard Mikey's door slamming.

Mama Way rolled her eyes and stuck her hand on her jutted out hip. Frank now knew where Gee got her resting bitch face.

"Don't be so rude to each other love your brother Gee- SAME GOES TO YOU MIKEY." She shouted up to the youngest Way.

"Hello Ray," she smiled at the long time family friend. Mama Way paused and looked at Frank who looked really uncomfortable. "And this is..."

"This is Frank mom, he goes to my school."

Frank waved at Mrs. Way from his position on the couch. "Well it's nice to meet you Frank, any friend of Gee's is welcome here." She smiled at the dark haired boy who was starting to look more uneasy by the second.

Frank was freaking out. And by freaking out I mean screaming internally. On the outside, he wore a calm and composed expression. But on the inside it was like that one SpongeBob episode where his brain was on fire and all the tiny SpongeBobs inside his head were panicking. Frank really had no idea to why he was freaking out, but maybe it was because he was meeting one of Gee's parents.

Seeing that Frank had started to stare off into space, Mama Way excused herself, leaving the teens to their own devices."I should start fixing dinner." It was a poor excuse because Ray and Gee both knew perfectly well that Mrs. Way had no business being in the kitchen whatsoever. It was even one of the seven deadly sins: Never let Mrs. Way near anything that involves cooking.

Gee couldn't count the number of house fires her mom had started on her fingers. About a six months ago, the fire station had stopped coming altogether to put out the fires. They figured that the Way's knew enough about the subject of fire extinguishing by now.

If 911 had a most popular customer, it would be them. Mrs. Way actually knew all the local 911 operators personally now. The conversations would go a little like this:

"911 what is your emergency?"

"Hey Bert/Lynn/Andy/Chantal it's Donna." Mama Way would sigh.

"Hey Donna!" then the phone would be muffled as they would yell to the entire dispatch team, "It's the Way's again!"

Sometimes the call would go off on tangent about "how the kids were doing," or them discussing the latest episode of Grey's Anatomy.

Gee gave Ray a look. She started to call after her mother. "Hey mom that's okay, I can do dinner tonight!"

"You sure?" Mrs. Way shouted.

"Yeah!"

Gee started to move from her position on the couch towards the kitchen. Since the host was moving, Ray and Frank followed her.

Gee stopped suddenly as she walked into the kitchen, the boys ran into her from behind.

"Um, Gee honey... I think it's a little too late for that."

"I thought that only happened in cartoons?" Frank asked, standing on his tippy toes to see over Gee's shoulder. (You can totally imagine Frank struggling to look over Gee's impressive height, his little nose and eyes barely making the view)

Mama Way wore a sheepish grin as a pan sat on the stove engulfed in flames. Frank was very right; the whole situation was very cartoonish. The smoke drew Mikey downstairs to see what was on fire this time. Ray moved to make another tally on the "Fires This Month" white board they kept in the kitchen. The total was now seven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also not to spoil anything but the next chapter is going to be a Pete and Frank one so be prepared :)


	9. she'snotmygirlfriend

The Way's plus Ray and Frank were just starting at the fire. It was contained, so they figured it was okay to stare at it for a bit. Mama Way didn't bother to call 911 because it was under control (for right now), and it's not like the Fire Department would come to their aid anyway.

"Is anyone gonna put it out?" Frank asked.

"Oh." They all chorused like they thought the fiery pan was a nice warm campfire, perfect for roasting marshmallows, and not a dangerous grease fire.

Mikey reached for the fire extinguisher, and like that the fire was out. It was pretty anticlimactic if you ask me.

Frank scratched his head and checked his phone. "I should be getting home." It was getting dark outside and as much as Frank had a crush on Gee, he was not in the mood to get mugged. Gee frowned, playing with the hem of her shirt. "Really Frankie? Do you have to go?" She leaned on the kitchen counter narrowly avoiding the mess the fire extinguisher had made.

He shrugged, "Yeah."

"It's a shame," Mama Way pouted.

Everyone's little brother, Mikey, spoke up, "What do you mean 'It's a shame' Mom? What were you gonna do next, talk about Gee's new friend to one of your 911 operator friends?"

With the look Donna had on her face, she probably would have.

 

When Frank got home, he was in a really good mood. Partly because all his dogs were all there ready to greet him, and partly because Gee had given him a hug as parting gift. He decided that hugs from Gee would now need to become a regular occurrence.

Frank kicked off his shoes at the front door only to be stopped by his father. Frank Sr. sat in front of the television catching up on his nightly Fox News. There was nothing about Frank's parents that he could really complain about. The Iero's were nice people who let Frank have all the dogs he wanted, and all Frank had to do was put up with them being conservative suburban Republicans. If you saw them out on a family outing you would wonder why a slouchy emo trouble maker sporting jeans ripped at the knee, a serious looking cardigan, and knawing consistently on his lip ring, was following two not shady, law abiding, tax paying citizens.

Frank, the younger, started pointedly at the walking toupee on the screen. It was election season, and yet another cast of characters were making fools of themselves on national television.

Not bothering to look away from his program, Frank Sr. spoke, "Where've you been son? You've been coming back much later than usual."

Frank picked up one of his dogs, Sweetpea, and tried to think of an answer that wasn't a lie, but wasn't telling his dad that he was over at Gee's house.

"I was at a friends', they invited me over."

"That weird James kid?" Well, he wasn't wrong, Dewees is weird.

"No," Frank sighed, "A new friend."

His father's silence urged Frank to continue with the story. Frank heard his mother stop shuffling dishes around in the kitchen. He knew he might as well tell them because they would snoop around and figure it out eventually.

"Iwasatagirl'shousehernameisGee." He squeezed his eyes shut and gripped Sweetpea for dear life as the onslaught of his parents began.

Frank Sr.'s eyes left the plasma screen for the first time in an hour and a half. Mrs. Iero, who was in the kitchen cleaning up dinner, and obviously eavesdropping on their conversation, ran into the room clutching a plate and a dishtowel.

"A girl?" Frank's dad's eyebrows were almost as high as Bredbin's? (Frank still never remembered that guy's name) forehead.

"Frankie? A girl!"

Frank nodded solemnly. Simply put, Frank never brought any girls home.

Mrs. Iero squealed, his father stood and walked over to clap him on the back.

"I'm proud of you son, finally got yourself a girlfriend." His thick hand was clamped on Frank's shoulder. Frank tried to wiggle out of his grip.

Mrs. Iero was already messaging her wine mom BFFs. "When can we meet her sweetie?" And to his father, "I'm sure she's lovely Frank."

"She'snotmygirlfriend," he stressed. This is why Frank didn't want to bring it up in the first place. Sweetpea wriggled out from his arms and ran away. Frank picked up the other small dog, Miles, who was circling his feet.

"Sure Frankie," his mom said sarcastically, winking, "Get up to your room you little rascal." Frank rolled his eyes, happy to get away from his parents.

 

"Hey, I think my Mom set something on fire again," Mikey said, seeming to sniff the air around him. But Pete really couldn't tell, the screen was pretty pixelated, "I should go."

Pete frowned.

"Don't be sad P, I love you and I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye Mikey," Pete blew a kiss at the cam. His boyfriend returned the gesture and rushed to end the video call.

The familiar screen exited and Pete shut his laptop. It was nearly seven in the morning, Pete sure loved Mikey. Setting his laptop on his desk, he rushed to get ready for school. Pete was the type of person that needed to get the most done in the morning, but only had ten minutes of time to get ready. He scurried into the bathroom, a flash of Pepe the Frog pattered boxers pulling on his grey uniform pants. The rush of hair being brushed furiously, toothpaste being spat, and water whipped all over the bathroom counter. Eyeliner. Shirt. Socks. Converse. Bags. Toast. Pete Wentz was out the front door of his temporary home. At least, that's what his Dad called their move to Japan, temporary. It had to be temporary, Pete guessed. It's not like his Dad would be stationed overseas for the rest of his life.

It wouldn't be hard to guess that Pete strongly disliked living in Japan. At first he thought it would be cool because he was fourteen and really into anime. But now he was sixteen and the only things keeping him sane were green tea Kitkats. Japan wasn't all it was cracked out to be when Pete figured out that subtitles didn't apply to when people were talking directly to you and the Sailor Scouts weren't really fighting evil by moonlight.

Walking at a fast pace to school, Pete received a text from his best friend who lived in Chicago, Patrick. Pete had lived in seven states so far (not including Japan) and thought that the worst and the best way to grow up was in a military family. It was the worst because he moved so often and was forced to be patriotic, but the best because he was able to visit places he wouldn't have been able to unless he was in a band and toured the country or something.

Pete really tried to keep in contact with as many of his friends from the States that he could. Because, let's face the facts, Pete Wentz is the coolest cat you'll ever meet and you would never have seen him walk to school alone in the US. You wouldn't have seen him walk in the first place because Pete Wentz does not simply travel, he arrives.

Yes, everyone's favorite memer was friendless in Japan. He was used to it in a way. Despite his confident façade, always being the new kid was hard for him.

Being the "mixed" kid in middle school (his mom was black) and perming his wavy hair straight.

Being the "gay" kid when he started high school (Pete was bi but no one seemed to care about that) and dating more girls than boys to stop the teasing.

And now, he was the "American" guy and Pete really just couldn't stop being a nationality, so it was a dead end for him.

He texted Patrick back.

Stumpy: hey dude just wanted to check on u

Pete smiled down at his phone.

P Weezy: thnks P really appreciate it

Stumpy: how's mikey? Does he still hate me?

Pete rolled his eyes. Mikey had denied several times over that he was jealous of Patrick. But Pete just knew that he was jealous, who's significant other isn't jealous of their partner's best friend?

P Weezy: he's still cute af and he probably still doesn't like u  
P Weezy: which is a shame, you're a stud Pat

Stumpy: Flattery gets you nowhere pete you should know that

P Weezy: Damn right I do

Stumpy: you are probably on the way to school rn so stop texting me before u run into a stop sign or something

Pete read the text message and laughed aloud. "I'm too cool to run into a stop sign."

He subsequently ran into a stop sign. Peter Lewis Wentz, the self proclaimed coolest cat you'll ever meet, walked into school that day with a huge knot on his forehead that was barely covered by his fringe.

Pete hated Japan.


	10. what you're doing to me, mon cheri

"Damn," Gee said aloud into the full-length mirror in her bedroom. "I look damn fine." And true to her words, Gee looked damn fine. She turned around in the mirror to admire her ass from a different angle. "You are on fire today Gee."

Gathering her school bag and books, she sauntered out of her room and downstairs.

"Who are you dressing up for?" Mikeyway tilted his head at an attempt to understand why his sister looked that good.

"My haters," she retorted.

The outfit wasn't all that spectacular, but the way Gee carried herself made all the difference. You could pull on a pair of black skinny jeans, a white v-neck, and a large grey cardigan any day and look halfway decent; I mean, look at Frank Iero.

 

When Mikey dropped Gee off at school, Frank was walking in the school gates. Getting out of the car and not forgetting to thank her little brother, because Gee was a decent human being, she waved Frank down. Noticing his companion's excitement, Frank smiled widely. He gripped on to the straps of his backpack as he ran up to where she stood.

"Hey Frankie." Gee sang dragging out the syllables. She abruptly stopped halfway through her greeting to look Frank up and down, narrowing her eyes.

As Frank was about to speak, Gee cut him off. "What the fuck Frank."

The smaller boy scanned Gee. His mouth formed an 'O.'

"You stole my outfit!" Even though Gee was still rocking her look, it put a major damper on her parade that Frank was wearing the exact same thing, except for the rips through the knees the were on Frank's black jeans. Normally, she wouldn't mind unexpected twinning, but today she was really feeling herself.

"Hey! You guys look cute!" A voice shouted from across the school parking lot.

It was the dude with the forehead and his small shadow. They loped across the street to catch up with the pair who had already started moving inside the school.

"Hi I'm Brendon and this is Ryan and all the rumors about a bowl of milk and a bathtub that you've probably heard, are not true." The forehead introduced himself to Gee.

"I'm Gee." She smiled waving a little.

Brendon grinned and winked at Frank," You didn't tell us she was your girlfriend Iero."

"She'snotmygirlfriend." Frank stressed, his cheeks tingeing pink. Gee pretended not to hear the comments.

Ryan popped out from behind Brendon, "Well even if you aren't dating, nice matching outfits." He rolled his eyes, "Bren would never match with me in a million years."

The taller one sighed like they'd held this conversation thousands of times before, " It's not that I don't want to match -

"It's because we have different aesthetics Yada yada yada." Ryan mimicked. "Talk to the hand Bren."

Gee put a finger coated with chipped black nail polish to her face and tapped. "I think you should at least try it out once Brendon. Just for Ryan."

Brendon rolled his eyes, "I'll think about it." Ryan pumped his fist in a silent victory.

The bell rang, and the Not Associated With Milk and/or Bathtubs Duo quickly kissed and scrambled away.

"They are such goals." Gee sighed clutching her books, possibly thinking that Frank might actually be a little more than cute.

Frank nodded along because that was all he could do that wouldn't embarrass him. 'Gee and I would be such goals,' he groaned internally.

"Not be weird or anything, but I think you look really good today." Frank said cautiously.

Gee grinned, "I could say the same Iero. See you later." She waggled her fingers as she walked off to class.Frank ran a hand through his hair, knowing one thing for sure. Gee Way was way out of his league.

 

"...yeah Ray and the funniest part was that one of them brought up a rumor about them involving a bathtub and some milk and debunked it during their introduction it was soo fucking weird."

Ray laughed, then stopped. "What were their names?"

"Brendon and Ryan I think."

"Oh shit, I read that story on Facebook once. It really happened no joke."

"No way, show me. Pics or it didn't happen."

Ray eventually found the Facebook post adequately dubbed 'the Milk Legend' that was about two boys she attended school with. After she finished, Gee handed the phone over to Ray softly.

"I don't think I can ever look at Ryan the same way again." Ray and Gee looked at each other for a quiet second before bursting out in laughter.

The doorbell rang, when did the Way's home all of a sudden become so popular? Because their mother was home, she answered the door."Hello?" Mama way raised an eyebrow at Frank Iero out of breath, probably having another asthma attack, on her doorstep.

"Sorry .... for intruding... but I need to speak... with Gee." Frank slowly inhaled, balancing himself on the doorframe.

"You know where her room is," she opened the door wider for Frank to enter.

Frank burst into Gee's room without warning. Ray jumped and Gee stared at him unimpressed, nothing scared her anymore. Frank whipped his inhaler out of his cardigan's pocket. Gee tried to focus anywhere but on the small kid who was having trouble breathing. Once Frank's lungs had calmed down, he spoke.

"Sorry for showing up unannounced -

"Once again," Ray coughed, looking at the floor. Frank narrowed his eyes plotting revenge for Ray's smart comment.

"But I have a situation on my hands Gee." He paused to get an okay from Gee.

"Keep going, my interest has been piqued."

Frank took a large breath, "Longstoryshortmyparentsthinkwe'redatingandtheyinvitedyouovertodinnerFridaynight."

"What?"

"Frank's parents assume that because he has a girl as a friend, that you're automatically his girlfriend," Ray clarified, earning another strike from Frank.

"I don't mind having to, uh fake being your girlfriend as long if you promise I get to see your dogs."

"Trust me, you will se my dogs." Frank grinned rolling his eyes.

"So you're actually gonna do it?"

"Yeah Toro. Don't mind Ray, Frank he likes to play concerned mother."

"Tell me about it." Frank muttered.

"Did you just run all the way across town and have asthma attack just to tell me something that you could have texted?"

Gee Way was in fact, not a hopeless romantic. Frank's eyes starting drifting, Ray and Gee could almost read what was going on in his mind. Gee laughed and stood, "I'm just kidding Frankie. I'm not that big of a jerk." She hugged him. "It would be an honor to be your fake girlfriend."

Frank pulled away from the hug, "I would say that I can pick you up Friday at six, but seeing as that I don't drive..."

"Pas du probleme," Gee said with a wave of her fingers, "I'll just drive over."

''It's a date?" Frank grinned.

"It's a date." Gee grinned back, noticing that he barely blinked an eye at her sudden use of French.

 

Gee saw Frank out and came back into her room to see Ray splayed out on the floor groaning. "I feel sick. You guys are flirting so much. It's very fanfic trope of you Gee."

"Get over it," Gee said, stepping over the large human in the center of the room, "and how dare you, kinkshame me in my own home." Gee oozed sarcasam.

Guffaws came from the carpet. "I would never kinkshame you...in your own home. The Toro residence would be a completely different story girlfriend." Ray's words came out muffled because he was still facedown in the carpet.

"Well at least I don't masturbate to the sound of my own guitar playing," Gee said under her breath.

Ray's head shot up from the carpet, "Hey!" He shouted, "That was just one time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((follow my tumblr dxperate-times))


	11. The Deal: part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you've ever read the fic The Deal this chapter is nothing like it unfortunately

[Friday Afternoon]

"Not to be rude or anything, but that sounds totally gay Patrick." Pete said into his laptop screen, picking at his fingernails.

The teen halfway around the world protested, "Okay so I had to put it -

"Because of how the music works," he mimicked, "I know. But that still doesn't make it any less gay Patty."

Patrick tried to argue his Very Specific Point to why the song wasn't gay, but a notification telling Pete that "MikeyfuckinWay" was calling, popped up on the screen.

"As much I would love to finish this Great Gay Debate _mon ami_ , my boyfriend is calling." Pete waved goodbye as Patrick mock saluted, grateful to get away from his best friend's overbearing personality.

"Hey babe watcha up to," Mikey drawled, rubbing at his eyes. Pete was ready to rant, "I'm helping Patrick write this new song for the band or whatever and he's using male references for it and he's thoroughly convinced that the song isn't gay."

Mikey sighed, pondering the question as to why his boyfriend was so dense. He started off slowly, "I hate to break it to you Pete, but your best friend Patrick Stump, if you've forgotten, is ace and aro. So technically nothing he can do is gay ... in theory."

"Can I at least read you the lyrics so you can see what I'm talking about?" Pete whined.

The boy in Jersey waved a dismissive hand, because he knew Pete would've read them even if he'd said no. "Sure. Whatever."

"It goes: 'Tell me you'd like boys like me better. In the dark lying in on top of you.' And we're supposed to sing it to _each other_."

Mikey was silent with thought, "And he wrote that line? By himself?" Pete nodded quickly.

"That's probably the most homosexual thing I've ever heard."

"What can I say?" Pete shrugged, "I have a kink for being right."

"I thought you had a kink for risky fashion choices?" Pete narrowed his eyes at Mikey. They both thought back to those hideous fur boots and the time when Pete was dead set on becoming a fashion designer.

"You better watch it sweetie." Mikey's eyes crinkled underneath his tiny glasses, a large, yet grainy, smile present.

"What are gonna do today?"

"I'm supposed to be going to this party," Pete lied, "But I might go hang at Kaneki's instead. How about you?"

Pete was so used to making up lies about his non-existent Japanese social life by now that he had a whole arsenal of anime characters that were his best friends. Today, his made up friend was courtesy of Tokyo Ghoul. None of Pete's real friends were the wiser, and for that he was grateful.

"Gee's going on a fake date tonight."

"With a boy!" Pete screamed, Mikey nodded. "Does he know that she's-

Mikey held up his hand for Pete to slow his roll. Pete's mouth clamped shut, because Mikey had his Serious Face on. "The way I see it is, why should she come out and say that's she's trans to every person she meets? I don't get the whole coming out thing because if I were straight, I wouldn't go and tell my mom I was straight. It would be assumed because I would only bring girls home. So where is the need to tell everyone she's trans if she has this obvious feminine presence? I mean she's a girl, and that's all Gee's ever been."

"You really get your sister don't you Mikey?"

He blushed a little, looking down at his lap, and then back up at his boyfriend on the screen. "I guess I do."

 

Gee was living up to the stereotype of girls having nothing to wear. The mood in her room contrasted to her brother's was a polar opposite. In one room was Mikey, King of All Chill; and the other was Gee, Queen of No Chill Whatsoever.

Gee splayed out on the floor, plies of clothes surrounding her groaned with defeat. "This isn't even a _real_ date Ray. I am royally screwed for all potential future dates."

"I think you have more than enough clothes Gee."

"You're only saying that because you're tired of helping me pick an outfit," came a voice from the clothes pile.

Ray sighed and heaved himself off Gee's bed, "I'm all out of ideas. I don't know...what are his parents like? What do they expect of you?"

"Frank told me yesterday that they're Republicans, so there goes half my wardrobe- and my lifestyle." Gee laughed heartlessly.

"Play it safe, jeans and a blouse." The girl on the floor groaned up at her glow-in-the-dark star patterned ceiling and finally stood. "There's no way I'm wearing pants twice this week. My self esteem isn't that high."

"Well you have half and hour before the small angry one stomps up to your front door, so you better make a decision."

Ray crossed his arms and watched as Gee descended into a panic, scrambling around the room once again.

 

"I found it!" she suddenly stopped brandishing her outfit of choice. Ray felt like erupting into a chorus of "yass bitch finally" but he didn't think it was entirely appropriate at the moment.

Hugging her blue button up and black skater skirt, Gee dashed to the bathroom to change. Knowing that she'd need it when she came out, Ray plugged in her straightener and reached for the bag of makeup inside her desk drawer.

Ray groaned internally, feeling like the stereotypical gay best friend to Gee. Then he rethought this notion realizing that Gee was the gay best friend. She burst back into the room pulling some stripey socks on her feet. Thanking Ray she reached for the straightener and started to pull her hair through the heat at a concerning rate.

"Fifteen minutes," Ray warned, casually scrolling through his twitter timeline. Gee cursed. "That's not very lady like."

"Fuck off." Gee cursed at Ray, shooting him a dirty look. 

 

Frank rang the doorbell to the Way residence, he was running a little late because of the walk and was hoping that Gee wasn't upset that he kept her waiting. But she wouldn't, because it's a fake date, right? It was just a little deal and Gee wasn't even getting anything in return. Frank decided to make it up to her somehow.

Mama Way squealed when she saw Frank at the doorstep and ushered him into her home. "I think Gee's just finishing up. She's always been such a diva."

As she spoke, Gee clomped down the stairs with her chunky heel ankle boots. "Diva is such a strong word Mama, I prefer perfectionist." She unsuccessfully tried to flip her too short hair over her shoulder.

"Whatever you say sweetie," her mother waved a dismissive hand.

Mikey pounded down the stairs into the living room, laptop in hand.

"The whole gangs' here," Ray muttered.

"Are you about to leave on your date? Because Pete wants to see what Frank looks like."

Pete, who had nothing better to do on a very early Saturday morning, than talk to his friends over Skype, restated what Mikey said.

"Gotta blast," Gee said flashing a peace sign and pushing Frank out of the door. 

 

Gee pulled in the Iero's driveway and turned off the ignition. Frank stopped her before she got out. "So just as a warning, my parents probably think that you're a blonde suburban Young Republican."

"Why would they think you'd bring home someone like that? Girls like that totally go against your soft punk aesthetic," she quipped, putting the keys in her bag. Frank sighed as if she should be taking this situation a little bit more seriously.

"I have thick skin, don't worry about me. I can take every comment they dish. I'll play along and be the perfect fake girlfriend." Gee assured Frank, laughing a little.

"Right, fake," Frank, said barely audible. Gee pretended not to hear the comment.

 

"Mom, Dad, this is Gee." Frank's hand hovered on the small of Gee's back. Gee regretted wearing the three inch heels, she was at least a head or two taller than Frank. Frank regretted letting his parents even _think_ he had a girlfriend.

Mrs. Iero immediately broke into a wide grin, excited that Frank brought a girl home. "It's so nice to finally meet you Gee! Frank has told us _all_ about you." Her Jersey accent was strong, but her tight hug was stronger. Mr. Iero looked unimpressed at the girl standing beside his son.

"Really?" Gee squeaked from the loss of air, eyeing Frank.

"Well Frank doesn't really talk about school a lot, but from the snippets we've heard, you seem like a very nice girl." Mr. Iero nodded.

Frank turned pink. "Well thank you, I'm honored," Gee put on her best parent pleasing smile.

"C'mon you two, let's eat." His Mom led them tokitchen table 

 

After everyone served themselves, Mrs. Iero spoke. She was in love with the idea of her baby liking a real live girl. She took a bite of mashed potatoes and then sat her fork down with determination. Sensing his mother's oncoming storm, Frank spoke, "Mom, you liter-

"How did you two meet?" She spoke over Frank, her eyes glittering with interest.

They stared at each other. " _Real story or fake story?_ " their eyes seemed to say. " _Real story_ ," they agreed. " _But embellished_."

Gee cleared her throat, "Well I'm a new student at Belleville and Frank's in some of my classes."

"I asked her if she was new at school and the rest was history." Frank spoke up, Gee giggled like she was a smitten teenage girl in the eighties.

"So where'd you move from sweetie?" his mom asked.

"Oh, I transferred from the other high school. There were some people who weren't being too nice to me," Gee pulled her lips thinly.

"Well I think you're a lovely girl...Gee?" she searched for Gee's name in her head, "and I'm very sure that whatever happened wasn't justified in doing."

"That's what they all say," she said under her breath. Out of nowhere Mr. Iero's voice boomed, "So son, you made any moves on her yet?"

Frank choked on his mashed potatoes, Gee rushed to think of a reasonable and normal answer, but all that came out was a few panicky splutters.

"Of course Dad."

Mr. Iero looked unconvinced at his struggled lie. Gee started to sweat and gripped her fork tighter. Frank cleared his throat. "Lovely dinner Mom."

Gee and Frank met gazes, agreeing that this was going to be a very long night.

 

"Hey Frankie, I know that this is Gee's night, but Martha just called to say that she needs her boys to stay over this evening." Mrs. Iero's phone had rung in the middle of dinner and she excused herself to answer it. The caller had turned out to be one of her book club wine mom buddies.

"I'm fine with it Mrs. Iero," Gee smiled pleasantly, a little relieved to be leaving earlier than she anticipated, "I'll leave when they get here."

"No way! You _need_ to meet them Gee. They are literally the coolest guys ever. They're like my rude older brothers," Frank blurted, urging her to stay and meet them. Seeing that Frank really, really wanted to her to meet 'the coolest guys ever' she agreed to stay. Gee knew she really wouldn't be into guys with the second label of 'rude older brothers' so she decided to tough it out, like every other problem she encountered.

 

The Iero's and Gee finished eating dinner with no real incident. All the relationship questions were handled smoothly and answered like Frank and Gee were actually dating. When everyone finished eating and started to clear the dishes away Mrs. Iero announced: "I think they'll be over in about five minutes."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you Gee, but you might know them. Bert and Bob are seniors like us and they go to your old school. "

Gee fumbled with the dish in her hand, not daring to turn and look back at Frank. The expression she wore gave too much away on how she felt about the brothers.

"Did you say Bert and Bob? As in Bert and Bob Bryar-McCracken?"

"Yeah!" Frank didn't catch on to Gee's panicked tone. Gee sat the dish she held back onto the table thinking that her wellbeing was more important than clearing someone's plates. The doorbell rang. Gee swore quietly, knowing that she now couldn't leave without showing her face to them.

 

"I need to use your bathroom," Gee said hurriedly, not waiting to hear Frank's directions. She stopped on her way out of the room, her voice quieter than Frank had ever heard. "And, Frank, don't tell them who I am." Frank started to ask why, but Gee cut him off.

"Just. Don't." Clenching her fists, she ran to find peace in one of the Iero's bathrooms. Part of Gee was upset because Frank associated and maybe even looked up to those douchebags. The other part of her was upset because she didn't want a forced outing to be how Frank was told she was trans. Gee found the closest bathroom with ease and locked the door behind her. She sat on the toilet seat, willing herself not to panic.

 

"Frank get the door for your friends." Mr. Iero's voice called from somewhere in the house.

Doing as he was told, Frank got the door. The three weren't exactly friends because Bert and Bob were stepbrothers, and Frank being an only child looked up to them like a little brother would. Well, Frank is little he would've had to look up to them anyway. He was also a bother, which is only one letter away from brother, so regardless of age Frank was Bob and Bert's little brother. Also, they picked on him a lot (too much in fact), but Frank endured it for the sake of good old-fashioned companionship.

He opened the door to be tackled to the hard wood of his living room.

"What's up fag?" Bert laughed, rustling Frank's hair. Rolling his eyes Frank stood, "Hey Bert, hey Bob."

"I heard Mom say something about you having a girl over." Bob grinned.

"Are you supposed to be getting some tonight bro?" Bert made gestures that Gee would have been disgusted to look at. Frank shook his head quickly, feeling as if Gee was watching their exchange from around corner.

While ignoring their lude comments about the "Mystery Girl", Frank also started to think about Gee's connection to Bert and Bob other than the fact that they went to school together. Why would Gee be so afraid of these guys? They're rude but they're no ruder than any other fuckboy you'd encounter.

"Yo, Frank," Bob tried to shake Frank out of his daydream, on autopilot. They attempted to get the deets on Gee, who was still in the bathroom ten minutes later, from Frank. He resisted as much as he could to protect Gee from whatever she was afraid of.

 

"Damn," Bert cursed, "Did she tell you not to say anything about her? I can't even get a fucking name for Christ's sake. Is the person really a dude? I don't care if you're gay but I called it."

"Can you chill for once Bert!" Frank snapped.

"I guess he's gay then, Bert you owe me twenty bucks." Bob sighed.

"I'm not fucking gay! She's not even my girlfriend, I had to bring Gee over to get my parents off my back for not having one. She's just a friend, I swear!" Frank had his eyes squeezed shut with rage for the two guys he usually admired. While his eyes were shut he didn't see the exchanged glance between Bob and Bert.

"Did you say Gee? As in _Gee Way_?"

_"As in Gerard Way?"_


	12. The Deal: part 2

As much as Gee was into her round of Kim Kardashian Hollywood, she felt something snap inside of her. She swallowed the lump in her throat and broke out into a cold sweat. Something was wrong. Or more eloquently put: Gee felt like Frank had fucked up yet again.

She pulled herself up from her surprisingly comfortable position on the Iero’s toilet seat and peeked out the bathroom door. Everything in the house was quiet. Gee narrowed her eyes and sniffed the air; it wasn’t the good type of quiet either. Opening the door wider, she made her way out into the living room to face the humans, the so-called “friends” who had put her through living hell. 

Frank wore a classic “what the fuck what the fuck what the fuck” expression on his face, while the Bryar-McCracken brothers had a countenance Gee had never seen from either of them before, regret. But Gee was strong; she could take anything anyone of those boys said to her. Bracing herself with a shaky breath, Gee stepped from behind the corner and revealed herself.

 

“I wonder how Gee’s date is going.” Mama Way mused to Mikey over their perfect burnt macaroni and cheese dinner.

“I’m sure everything is fine Ma,” Mikey rolled his eyes.

 

Gee narrowed her eyes at the two boys in front of her. Bert and Bob gawked at the girl that stood before them. Frankie looked like he was about to shit his pants. To an outside it would have looked like a one sided, old west, cowboy showdown, and Gee had her guns blazing.

“Oh…uh…Gee,” Bert mumbled, casting his eyes to the ground.

Gee almost fainted when the duo didn’t try to verbally assault her and they actually used her _correct_ name.

“You look different…the good different,” Bob remarked fiddling with his fingers.

“That happens,” Gee lifted the corner of her mouth in an attempt to smile.

Over the mind-numbingly awkward silence, Frank spoke. “I’m confused. As usual,” he muttered, “Can someone _please_ explain what’s going on?”

Bert sighed like he was ready to get all the pent up guilt out of his system, “You probably already know that Gee transferred schools because some people were “bothering” her.”

Gee took in a sharp breath. _‘they didn’t try to out me either?’_

 

“The people bullying her were our entire group of friends, but especially me and Bert.” Bob kept his eyes on the floor.

“You guys are pathetic,” Frank spat.

“I know,” they chorused. Gee met their saddened gaze in confusion, why was there a change of heart all of a sudden?

“When Mikey let it slip that you’d been in the hospital, I think you’d already been discharged and had been home for a week or two. We– everyone felt super shitty knowing that we’d ultimately driven you to that breaking point. And we really _really_ regret it, it wasn’t cool of us to treat you that way. And you’re right if you don’t want to accept our apology because we don’t deserve it.”

Gee was _almost_ moved by Bert’s speech; it may have been the cleanest and most meaningful words he might have ever spoken. But before Gee could answer, Frank spoke up. 

“Why did you call Gee, Gerard?”

Gee said nothing. “Oh it was just a mean nickname,” Bob said timidly.

“Also why was Gee in the hospital?” Bert and Bob looked over to Gee to explain.

“It was a suicide attempt Frank. Pills, Bathtub, Razor blades the whole shebang.” Gee almost wished she hadn’t explained it so flat and bluntly, but deep down she wanted her words to sting. She wanted them to cut as deep as the raised scrams on her wrists. She wanted to hurt them like they hurt her. But Gee was the bigger person, so she said nothing. “I bet Mikey didn’t tell you that he was the one who found me on the bathroom floor.”

“Oh my God Gee.” Frank’s bottom lip started to tremble.

“Don’t cry Frankie,” she whispered, crossing the short distance to embrace him. “Please don’t cry, there’s been enough tears shed over me to last a lifetime.”

Bert scratched at his unkempt mop of hair. Bob had run off somewhere.

“So are you guys, like, a thing?”

Gee jumped away from comforting Frank and began snapping. “So what if we _are_ Bert? What’s it to you?”

Burt threw up his arms, exasperated, “Jesus Christ Gee, just because we had a thing I’m not going to make your life hell if–

“Well you’ve done it before! You’ve made my life hell _several_ times if my counting is correct!” Gee’s voice raised an octave.

“Gee and Bert were a couple?” Frank said aside, mostly to himself, in complete wonderment because tonight couldn’t get any more interesting.

“Friends with benefits.” “We weren’t a couple Frankie.”

“Oooh… _Frankie_. You must be getting serious ass.” Bert marveled. “That reminds me of the pet names we had for each other Gee.”

“You better fucking stop if you want at least half a testitcle left.”

“Calm down Kitten.”

She gaped, “I can’t believe I’m having a conversation with you. You’re disgusting.”

“Me either Kitten.”

“That’s it. I’m leaving, I thought you and Bob had changed, but I guess not. Goodbye Bert.”

“That’s not how you’re supposed to address me Kitten.”

Gee ground her teeth and tried her best to not punch Bert in the jaw.“Bye Frank. I _was_ having a decent time. I’ll see you on Monday.” With those words, Gee determinedly walked out of the Iero residence, feeling as empowered as the most radical feminist out there.

 

As Gee started her car’s ignition, Frank ran out of the house.

“I’m really sorry about Bert and Bob, I would have never–

She held up a hand for him to stop talking. “I know you wouldn’t have.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

“God, we sound like that fucking John Green train wreck,” Frank began to laugh, breaking the heavy moment.

“Hey!” Gee mock defended, “I actually enjoy John Green train wrecks. I’m always a slut for a good metaphor.”

Frank laughed again. It was a nice and hearty laugh, the kind that brought color to your cheeks.

“I’ll see you on Monday?” Gee tilted her head. Frank nodded contently and went to walk inside again. Rethinking that goodbye, Gee put her car in park once again and called out to Frank. He stopped and she jogged up to his place on the lawn.

Gee tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I just wanted to say thank you for not being a douche. Thank you for being a friend Frankie.”

“No prob–

But Frank was cut off by a quick peck on the lips and before he could even register, the most interesting girl he had ever met was gone like a thief in the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't be shy i love to hear all of what you guys have to say, so don't forget to comment please


	13. When Dreams Become A Reality

Frank stood in the center of his lawn long after Gee pulled out of his driveway. Imagine him staring out into the void, his mind whirring a thousand miles an hour, and the dusk enveloping his figure as he stood still. It was a classic, yet cliché, pose which he embraced fully.

A lot of things in the world confused Frank, but at the top of the list of confusing things was Gee Way. She was an enigma sandwich doused in mystery, but caught between two buns of transparency. She told him everything, but nothing. He in those silent moments decided that when Gee no longer wanted him in the stupor of harmless ignorance, the day would come when she would finally make everything apparent.

He longed for that day.

 

Gee had no idea what possessed her to kiss Frank. She drove home on autopilot, just imagining all of the horrifying outcomes. Her brain flooded with worry, her thoughts supplying the floodwaters. She really hadn't been this confused since she decided to sort out her gender identity a couple years back. It was the strangest feeling because while sexuality and gender were fluid, feelings toward other people aren't. It freaked her the fuck out because as much as she wanted these invasive feelings to stop, she couldn't.

 

Even though Pete Wentz knew that Gee and Frank's date was fake, he was still heavily invested in it. Frank and Gee were Pete's real life OTP. You couldn't fathom just how hard he shipped the duo. Mikey did not ship Gee and Frank for obvious reasons. Also, he thought shipping was weird.

Pete scoffed, "So you think shipping is weird, but you're sixteen and still believe in unicorns and that's not weird?"

"Of _course_ I believe in unicorns!" Mikey said it like it was the most understandable thing in the world. "It's not weird."

The pastel unicorn poster over Mikey's bed stared at Pete through the camera.

"You believe in a lot of things that aren't real." The boy in Japan said matter-of-factly.

"Do _NOT_ turn this into another Larry argument Peter Lewis."

"Whatever." Pete slid his eyes over to the One Direction poster beside the unicorn one. "All I'm saying is that Ziam holds a bigger chonce than Larry."

Mikey groaned, "Why do you hate me?"

"Because I love you." Pete smiled sweetly.

Gee banged into Mikey's room.

"What's up slut?" Pete shouted at Gee from thousands of miles away. Pete guessed the grand entrance was made by no other than Gee Way. He guessed right.

Gee grinned and pushed Mikey off the bed, plopping in front of the laptop. "Let's get this party started."

"Give me the entire run down on Frankie's family, or as I like to call him, the smol pumpkin."

" _I_ regret ever giving you his name and showing you pictures."

"I regret ever letting the two of you talk," Mikey said, glowering from his abrupt shove onto the carpet.

"Quit whining Mikey, some of us have _real_ problems. Bert and Bob showed up."

The boyfriends shrieked. "Don't worry about it, they were actually pretty civil. And get this guys, the both of them _apologized_ to me."

Pete gasped and put a hand over his heart, "I cannot believe."

"Chill out Petey, you barely knew either of them."

"That doesn't mean that I can't be in the drama," he said incredulously.

Mikey egged his sister on, ignoring Pete, "What else happened?"

"I'm pretty sure I heard one of them call me Gerard...Frankie got confused. (But really when is he not confused?) I told them about me being in the hospital and...ImighthavekissedFrank."

The boyfriends shrieked once again. "You kissed Frank!"

Mama Way burst into Mikey's room, "You _kissed _Frank!"__

__They turned to look at their mother. "Well, you see I was going to Gee's room to ask her about her time with Frank, but I heard you guys talking to Pete so I figured that I'd just hear about the whole ordeal this way. Just some motherly eavesdropping."_ _

__There was silence._ _

__"Do you smell something burning?"_ _

__Ms. Way yelped and ran downstairs._ _

__"There's nothing burning Gee." Mikey keenly observed._ _

__"I know that. I just wanted to get rid of her."_ _

__Mikey was proud of how devious his sister was._ _

__"But other than Bert and Bob showing up, I think that the fake date was a success."_ _

__"Does this mean more fake dates in the future?" Pete urged._ _

__Gee shrugged a bit and a blush rose up to her cheeks, "I'm down for whatever Frank wants."_ _

__Pete squealed into his pillow, then stopped, his eyes drifting away form the monitor for a second. "IDK if I've told you this or not Gee, but you and Frankie are my OTP."_ _

__"No, I've _never_ heard that before," Gee said sarcastically._ _

__"Not to be weird but I'm thinking about writing fanfic for you two."_ _

__"I'm leaving," Mikey announced, "This just got weird." The door slammed behind Mikey._ _

__Gee laughed both at Pete and her brother's hate of shipping._ _

__"I don't know why he hates shipping so much. He's a total dark larrie."_ _

__"That's because Larry is real. It's not paring two people together who have no real chemistry," Gee rolled her eyes. "Ziam is a ship that will never sail darling."_ _

__Gee expected a snarky classic Pete comment, but his eyes began to drift again._ _

__"You okay?"_ _

__"Yeah I think it's just my Mom calling me. It's whatever. Continue."_ _

__"Tell me about the fanfic you–Pete?"_ _

__Pete looked distracted. "Sorry Gee, she's getting louder, I think it's impo–Bye Gee."_ _

__He ended the call in the blink of an eye, his words abrupt. The last image of Pete to reach Gee, was a face of concern._ _

__Mikey walked back in his room a couple minutes later, a bowl of slightly singed noodles in his hands. "Where'd Pete go?"_ _

__Gee was in the same position, staring at the laptop blankly. She had a vague feeling that something wasn't right. "I don't know."_ _

__

__

__Pete heard faint sounds of his name being called from downstairs. Gee asked if everything was okay._ _

__"Yeah I think it's just my Mom calling me. It's whatever. Continue."_ _

__"Tell me about the fanfic you–Pete?"_ _

__Pete looked up from the laptop. The calls got louder and more impatient._ _

__"Sorry Gee, she's getting louder, I think it's impo–," The distinct and angry pounding footsteps Mr. Wentz walking up the stairs broke his train of thought. He whipped the room's door open and Pete rushed to say farewells, "Bye Gee."_ _

__Pete slapped the laptop closed and looked up at his father. He didn't say anything at first but after a minute of painful eye contact he spoke, "Your mother and I have been calling you for the last ten minutes. _Please_ come down Pete. It's important."_ _

__If it were possible to break out in an even bigger stress sweat than he was in now, his whole room would be flooded._ _

__"Yes sir," he mumbled and followed his dad, Col. Wentz, down the stairs._ _

__They joined Mrs. Wentz at the well-worn kitchen table. He became even more worried when he realized how fidgety his usually composed mother was acting. There was the oddest sense of déja-vu in the air._ _

__"Pete," his father said, voice even and strong. Pete's heart dropped to his knees, he knew what this was._ _

__"I'm being restationed again."_ _

__The teen didn't know whether to be relieved, because he hated life in Japan with a burning passion, or to be sick to his stomach, because this meant starting all over again. How many places has he lived in? Pete stopped counting after Chicago._ _

__"How long until the move?" Pete monotoned. This was his fate until he was eighteen, forced to live the life of a nomad. He had a home everywhere, yet nowhere at the same time._ _

__His mother spoke up, "Thirty-six hours."_ _

__' _No wonder she's freaking out, we leave so soon_ ,' Pete thought._ _

__Col. Wentz leaned on the old table and steepled his fingers, "There's a problem back home. Old Beckett passed away and the big guys need me to fill his position. Our flight leaves in three days."_ _

__"Okay," Pete nodded, soaking in this information like a sponge. "May I be excused, I need to start packing."_ _

__"You may," his parents chorused._ _

__

__Pete trodded up to his room and flung himself on his unmade bed._ _

__"I hate this," he said to particularly no one._ _

__He moved to open his laptop to tell Mikey the oh-so predictable news. Sighing he began to log onto Skype. All of a sudden, Pete stopped and actually began to think for one time in his life._ _

___Back home_. The gears turned inside Pete's brain. _Old man Beckett_. Sparking began to occur, his brain was making connections. _New position_._ _

___Old man Beckett's position back home_._ _

__Pete shot off of his bed and pounded downstairs where his parents still sat at the kitchen table._ _

__" _We're going back to Jersey_?!" _ _

__"That's obviously what I meant by 'Beckett', son."_ _

__Pete felt like he couldn't breathe. "Oh my God...I get to see Mikey for the first time in a year." He clutched desperately at his clothes to control himself. "No more speaking broken Japanese. No more understanding fluent Japanese. I can finally stop feeling like weaboo garbage. Oh my God." Pete collapsed, trying to catch up for all the lost breathing during his constant stream of words. "Oh my God."_ _

__Mrs. Wentz looked over at her son. "Classic Pete."_ _

__

__Pete woke up in his bed breathing normally, it was midday in Japan. He figured that Mikey would have blown up his notifications by now, so he checked his phone._ _

___40 kik messages from: MisterMikeyFuckinWay_ _ _

__Pete didn't bother to read them because he knew they were all going to be the same thing. So, he just opened up his Skype app and rang him._ _

__Mikey picked up the Skype call almost instantaneously. It was very late in Jersey._ _

__"What happened, are you okay?" Mikey rushed to speak first._ _

__"Yes, I'm fine Mikey babe. I think I had a minor asthma attack and passed out, but other than that I'm fine."_ _

__"It's late Pete. You didn't call back. I got worried." Mikey pouted his lips, but not in the sexy way the aggravated way._ _

__"I know it's hella late bae I'm soryy, but I got this _fantastic_ news from my Dad."_ _

__"What?" Mikey's salty façade started to melt._ _

__"My Dad is being moved again –_ _

__He uttered an exasperated,"Good for you."_ _

__"Back to Jersey."_ _

__

__Back in Jersey, Mikey felt like he had been hit with a ton of bricks. No, not bricks, Mikey felt as if one thousand sledgehammer wielding men were pounding in his skull. Everything became numb. This couldn't be happening, because it had happened before and it turned out to be the most realistic dream he'd ever envisioned. He checked the time: four in the morning. Words and phrases lodged in his throat._ _

__Pete raised an eyebrow a continent away. "Aren't you happy?"_ _

__Mikey said nothing. He had nothing to say._ _

__"Mikey?" Pete questioned, noticing the lacking response department. Pete was expecting screaming and excitement, not this._ _

__"You're lying. You're not Pete," Mikey whispered so softly that Pete couldn't hear. All he saw was the petit movement of his boyfriends' mouth, "This isn't real."_ _

__A set of wide doe eyes tucked behind rectangle frames ended the call._ _

__

__Pete had no idea how, but this had backfired._ _


	14. she's the prettiest girl at the party and can prove it with a sold right hook

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> because its been a while... here's a long part

_"Hi! You've reached Gee Way's voicemail! If you're listening to this it means that I can't come to the phone right now, but please leave a message after the beep!"... Beeep._

"Hey Gee, it's me...Frank, and I know that I, literally, just saw you yesterday, and it was kind of a catastrophe but not really because you kissed me...all that's beside the point," he drew in a ragged breath, "I'm throwing this party tonight and I was wondering if you wanted to help me move furniture and shit and hang out before everyone gets here...also this is an invitation to the party," he groaned in sheer annoyance of his limited communication skills, "This is dumb. Sorry for bothering you Gee, bye."

It was midafternoon on Saturday and Frank was talking to Gee's voicemail. This was maybe the bazillionth time he'd tried to leave his crush a normal sounding recording.

An aggravated Frank (gently) threw his phone across his room and fell face first on his mattress. "Guess who's not bringing a date  _or_  getting help to set up for his own party? This guy!"  
  
  


Mr. and Mrs. Iero left early that morning on a weekend anniversary get away and figured it would be okay to leave three teenage boys (with and five dogs) alone to their own devices. They were terribly mistaken. Bert and Bob, along with a reluctant Frank, thought it would be a great idea to throw an insane house party while they were gone. The only reason Frank went along with the whole plan was because it created yet another opportunity to spend time with Gee.  
  
  


On Friday night after Gee left, when things began to get heated between her and Bert, Frank pushed the stepbrothers for more info on Gee. They dodged all of Frank's highly detailed questions about the mysterious Gee like bullets in the Matrix (or through a flock of doves, whatever floats your boat.) The deeds were commendable, protecting the girl they treated less than human was a huge step in the right direction, however, Frank was pretty pissed at how hot and cold the duo could act. It was a constant toss up between ruining someone's life, or defending their honor.

Frank closed the front door to his home and slid down it like the melodramatic teen he was. 

" _Gee kissed me, Gee kissed me, Gee kissed me, Gee kissed me_ ," was the mantra running through his mind. Three different words came together in a sentence that was so mind numbingly scary and terrific that Frank never thought it would exist. Well, he was wrong about that.  Frank  turned out to be wrong about a lot of things.

"Contrary to popular belief, pal, the door is not a resting place," Bob commented, looking down at the boy who was still slouched on the floor.

With a helpful hand from the blond, Frank heaved himself up off the ground.

"Gee kissed me," he had this kind of dopey look on his face. Bob had seen that same expression before on Bert's face when he and Gee were messing around. He didn't mention it to Frank.

"Tell me more about Gee." It wasn't a demand, but the question still had an air of urgency about it.

"...what about her?"

"You know what she was like when you were friends with her... or in Bert's case when they were friends with benefits," he muttered, then moved back on his train of thought, "... the things she liked, stuff you guys did together, that kind of thing. I noticed that she doesn't really like to talk about the past a lot–

"Because she likes to focus on the future," Bob finished for him almost wistfully. 

"What?" Frank questioned.

"What?" Bob replied.  
  
  


It was later that night, when Bert and Bob had finally had enough of Frank's questions. They were watching American Horror Story in the dark of Frank's room and Bert really, _really_  loathed it when people talked during movies.

"...So does Gee like American Horror Story?" Frank whispered, flinching a little at a horrifying image.

"Why don't you ask her?" Bert sighed, more than a little tired of talking about Gee.

"Oh...it never came up."

There was silence as the three boys watched the well-choreographed musical number.

"Sister Judy can sure sing..." Frank noted, "Can Gee sing? Was she in chorus or anything at your school?"

Bert screamed and threw a pillow at Frank's head. "Can you  _literally shut the fuck_   _up_  about fucking Gerard for three seconds? We all know about your fucking crush on her, we all had crushes on Gee at one point so you chill  _the fuck_ out."

The sudden burst of anger from Bert left Frank with more questions than he had already. But he decided to take Bert's words for it and shut the fuck up before he ended up with something more serious than a pillow in the face.  
  
  


Frank's phone coughed. The sullen teen picked his face up from out of the mussed blankets on his bed. His phone coughed twice then started playing his God forsaken ringtone.

_"I got your picture I'm coming with you, dear Maria count me in..."_

Frank dreaded that goddamn song. He could never figure how to change it back after Bob messed with his phone settings about a year ago. It wasn't like he hated the magic that was Dear Maria, Count Me In, it was more like he was embarrassed of the fucking signature coughs that marked him as a pop punk fangirl to anyone who was graced of hearing lovely honey voice of Alex Gaskarth.

Frank scrambled across his room and over two dogs to reach the device. 

"Hello? Frank?" Gee asked. It sounded like she was laughing a little.

Frank's breath caught in his throat as he struggled to find the acceptable words to greet her with. 

"Hey Gee."

"Frank," Gee started, "I'm guessing that you aren't aware that I have about twenty voicemails in my inbox?"

The dark haired boy felt his heart stop in his chest.

"I think you meant to delete them as you recorded them...but you didn't," she giggled.

He scrambled for an excuse but Gee cut him off. "It's okay Frankie, I'll be over an hour or two. Thanks for the invite babe."

She ended the call. Frank suppressed the urge to scream.

"I can hear that gay ass ringtone in my  _sleep_  Iero, who just called you?" Bob smirked, wiping the sleep out of  his eyes.

"Gee," he replied.

"I'm out." Even at the mention of Gee's name he was gone like leaf in the wind.  
  
  


True to her word, Gee showed up about an hour and a half later on Frank's doorstep. Frank opened the door like a nice young man and ushered her in.

"Do you watch American Horror Story?" Frank asked walking the both of them into the living room. It was a lame question but it was the one that had been nagging Frank all night.

Gee raised an eyebrow at Frank's lack of greeting and the way he just jumped into conversation as soon as she walked through the door. But nevertheless, Gee squealed at the mention of her secret pastime, "Do I?! Evan Peters is  _literally_  my husband."

"Same," Frank spluttered out a laugh that turned into a cough when he realized his unfortunately  _gay sounding_  slip, "No homo...of course."

Gee rolled her eyes, muttering, "Yeah  _of course_ , cause it'd be such a fucking shame to be queer."

Frank glued his eyes to the floor. " _Stupid, stupid, stupid_ ," remarked his conscience, " _you know that Gee gets upset when you make comments like that_." 

They didn't say anything for a second. 

" _Gee's gay right?"_ he thought. " _Oh, yeah. She is, I forgot about that..."_

There was a series of barks from upstairs.

Gee sighed, "C'mon Frank, don't look like a hurt puppy. Let's move your Mom's vases or whatever. Then we can play with your dogs before Dumb and Dumber ruin things. Where are they anyway?"

"They went to get food and booze," Frank shrugged. 

"How long do we have?" she asked.

"Couple hours."

"Good."  
  


With Mrs. Iero's valuable furniture put away and her couches covered and protected from drunk and clumsy teenagers and her prescription pills in the medicine cabinet hidden, Frank showed Gee to his room and his dogs.

"This is Sweetpea, she's pretty old." He pointed to a small dog with salt and pepper fur and a tiny pink tongue that never seemed to stay in her mouth. "That one with the spots is Franklin. That's Miles, Lilly and Cherry, the triplets, they're literally like my kids."

Gee was practically salivating at all the potential for sweet puppy kisses and warm snuggly cuddles. She was never able have dogs because of Mikey. Fuck his pet allergies.

"You okay Gee?" Frank asked because she hadn't said a single word since they walked into Frank's room.

"Yeah...I just need to sit down for a second...I'm feeling a little overwhelmed," she breathed, shakily lying down on Frank's floor. 

As she sat all of the dogs except Sweatpea, who was rolling around on her back, waddled over to greet their new human friend.

"Yes!" Gee shouted. "Yes! My furry friends...come to Mama G–

Her words were immediately muffled by Cherry, who decided to make a bed out of Gee's face.

"If she sits on your face, that means she likes you," Frank chuckled sitting beside the girl overrun with dogs. Gee tried to reply, but her voice was muffled by a face full of dog.

Frank removed Cherry from Gee's face. "Why didn't you show me your dogs last time I was here?" She whined.

"Well that was when Bert and Bob showed up and our scheduled plan to hang out was derailed," he explained.

Gee sighed heavily, hearing the heavy thumps of a teenage boys running up the stairs, "Speak of the devils."

The door burst open. "Hey fag," Bob and Bert greeted. Gee rolled her eyes and pretended that she didn't flinch.

"Who are you calling a fag?" She challenged.

"Um...Frank?"

"I never got why you called people fags Bert, you've been with  _plenty_  of boys last time I checked."

"...Frank, I got the stuff for the party. I'll put it in the kitchen." Bert said quietly and walked out of Frank's room with Bob in tow. She usually wasn't the type of person to out someone, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Gee smirked and went back to playing with the dogs, acting like that conversation had never happened. Frank admired that trait of hers.

"So...how did you know that Bert's been with dudes before? Not that I have a problem with it, I'm just interested."

Gee shrugged her shoulders and petted one of the triplets. "Oh, I just _know_. Trust me Frankie, Bert and I were best friends at one point." 

"Friends with benefits?"

"Let's not talk about that," she became quiet.

" _Another story for another time_." Frank thought.  
  
  


It was around ten o'clock. The party had started at eight. Gee was pretty drunk, and by drunk I mean drunk off her ass. Frank not so much, he was only slightly buzzed. He wasn't much of a drinker, but he also had the obligation to make sure that none of the intoxicated teenagers wrecked his house too much. So he still held on tightly to his second beer.

Some things (and people) were already too far-gone. Like the doormat that looked strangely sticky and gross even from where he and Gee stood against the living room wall, and Brendon and Ryan (Frank finally got the taller kid's name) who were grinding heavily on each other in the corner.

"You okay Gee?" Frank asked. 

It turns out that Gee was the sad type of drunk. She stared blankly into an empty cup that used to be filled to brim bwith nondescript booze. Frank had only found her about fifteen minutes ago leaning on the wall by herself and she still seemed to be wrapped up in thought. 

When Gee still hadn't responded, Frank restated his question.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she thought she said. To Frank and anyone that happened to be watching it was more of a vague nod.

"C'mon, let's sit you down." The friend took Gee's arm and dragged her over to the couch.

"Look Frank...I really like you," she slurred. "But I can't do this to Bert."

Frank realized that she probably thought he was trying to make a move on her.

"No-no, Gee, I'm just letting you sit," he explained. Thoughts flew by as he tried to understand why she said that about Bert, they were never really in a relationship according to her and she resented him. Was she so drunk that she'd forgotten some aspects of her relationships/

She hiccupped, "Oh God. Do you think you can get me some more..." Gee gestured to her red solo cup. "But I dunno...I don't wanna mess up again. I took my pills this morning." The color drained from Frank's little red cheeks when he realized that he'd been letting a girl who's on antidepressants drink alcohol. He was so wrapped up in beating himself up that he didn't realize when Gee took his cup out of his hand.

"Hey Gee, I love you, but no fucking way!" he snatched the drink that was almost halfway gone, out of her hands. Gee made a sound that probably meant something along the lines of 'give it back you minion fucker.'

"Bert would let me have it!" Gee protested. Why was she so into Bert all of a sudden? Frank chose to ignore the comment.

"I can't have you down here anymore, so you're going upstairs and sleeping this off. Okay?"

"Whatever." It was slurred. He supported her around the waist while she staggered up the stairs.

Frank heard a wolf whistle from somewhere in the room. His head snapped around to see Bert who was smirking. "Classic Gee," he muttered shaking his head and chuckling. Frank didn't see the shaky middle finger Gee held up in Bert's direction.

Frank didn't understand. But Bert was a sicko, so did he really  _want_  to understand? He continued to lead Gee upstairs.   
  
  


"Have I ever told you how cute you are?" Gee sighed and leaned into Frank, nearly stepping on Franklin's tail. They were in Frank's room.

His cheeks heated. "Don't think so...I would've remembered," he grumbled.

"Well this is me telling you."

"I appreciate it," he laughed.

"And this is me kissing you." Her lips were immediately on his. Biting and pulling and sucking at his bottom lip.

Frank pushed her off, "Whoa, whoa, Gee. Stop it, you're drunk. You don't know what you're doing." It was the right thing to do, no matter what his feelings were for Gee.

"I  _wish_  I didn't know what I was doing," she countered and attacked his lips again. Frank barely registered that she had stopped slurring.

As he gave in to Gee's touch, the kiss became more heated. Frank gripped his hands around her waist holding her close to him; Gee's hands ran all in Frank' s dark colored hair like she was trying to feel every fiber of him.

"Put the dogs out Frank," she said between gasps. Frank scrambled to shoo five sassy dogs that thought they were humans out of the way. After they were out he slammed the door and locked it behind him.

Gee shimmied out of the leather skater skirt she wore for the party, just leaving her in her boy shorts underwear and floral button up. Frank's pants tightened at the sight and his throat felt like a desert. 

' _Damn she's hot_ ,' he thought. "Damn you're so hot baby," he actually said.

Frank caught her lips again and she pulled at the hem of the cotton tee he wore. Once it was off, her fingers ran over his chest, never breaking the kiss. The liquor on her lips was intoxicating. He lifted her body up (something that didn't catch her by surprise because she knew that no matter how sweet and awkward Frank seemed, deep deep down he was  _such_  a dominant) and she wrapped her legs around his waist before he slammed her back against the wall. She couldn't do anything but moan at the feeling of someone dominating her like this and Frank's warm, sloppy lips at her throat.

Frank began walking the both of them back to his bed while Gee had taken the liberty of disconnecting their lips and started to mark any piece of Frank that was accessible at the moment: his shoulders, his neck, slightly below and behind his ears.

Pushing her down to the mattress, Frank nibbled at Gee's neck and ear; her back arched in pleasure. He skillfully unbuttoned her top so that he could see the tiny lacey bra underneath.

When Frank's fingers started to trail down her waist to the elastic of Gee's underwear, she batted his hand away and started to pull down his boxers instead. Frank flipped them around so that Gee was between his legs, stroking his length, kissing the already leaking tip. He gasped as she took him all the way in her mouth.  
  
  


She ignored her own problem to watch Frank as he came down from his high. She grazed her short black nails against his rising and falling chest. Frank turned on his side to meet Gee's eyes. He pecked her on the lips and when they parted, she turned around to snuggle into Frank's body. His eyes softened when he realized how venerable and soft the usually intimidating and fierce girl was. He wrapped his arms around her, kissed her hair, and fell asleep.  
  
  


Gee Way awoke the next morning to the gentle prodding of Frank. Her bleary hangover vision barely made out Frank kneeling beside the bed with a glass of water and some Tylenol.

"God bless you Frank Iero," she said to the ceiling quietly then slowly sat up to take the amenities.

Brushing her hair away from her face, she turned to look at Frank who had rejoined her on the bed.

She sighed, seeing Frank who has scantily clad and bruised all over. "So...last night did we...?"

"N-no," Frank stuttered, waving his arms a bit, the domineering attitude from last night gone, "You just blew me." 

Gee let out a breath. "Okay." She threw the two white tablets down her throat and chased them with a drink of water. "I-I'm sorry Frank. I didn't mean to come on to you like that, and I really am sorry if I forced you into doing something –

Frank cut her off, "No, no. You're okay Gee. It was okay (I mean more than okay that was a great blow job, you're talented.) I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting into, you were pretty drunk last night."

"So we're okay?"

"Yeah."

There was silence, partly because Gee's head was throbbing like a motherfucker and partly because Frank was too awkward and afraid to say anything else.

"What are we?"

"What do you want to be?" Gee countered Frank's very direct question. Truthfully, Gee only said that to be difficult. She was afraid that if Frank asked her to be his girlfriend, she would never want to let the sweetest boy she'd probably ever known to leave her life when that time eventually came.

"A relationship where I can hold your hand and take you out, but still a close friend."

"As long as you're not trying to make it a friends with benefits situation, I'd love to do that Frankie."

Her unbuttoned floral shirt was falling off of her shoulders, her bra exposed and tummy open to view, in the most awe striking morning-after way possible.

"Wasn't that the kind of thing you had with Bert?"

She shook her head. This wasn't one of the proudest moments of her life. "I lied Frank. For once, Bert was telling the truth. We dated on and off for a long time. It was an open relationship, but he was my boyfriend."

Gee squeezed her eyes shut and hoped that Frank wouldn't be mad. His eyebrows scrunched up at this new fact, but at least his questions from last night were answered. Frank lay down on his side and continued to look up at Gee. He placed his hand on her thigh. Her eyes popped open at the sudden contact. "Can we just talk about you for a second? There are so many questions I have about you Gee."

"Depends on the questions." Gee muttered. She felt like she owed Frank a little because of all the personal questions she'd dodged in the past. It probably seemed a little strange to Frank how she would never tell him personal things but she was an open book on everything concerning her mom and little brother. It was a little red flag to Frank every time she did that.

"If it makes you feel uncomfortable you don't have to answer it," Frank reasoned. "I know that you don't talk about personal stuff for a reason and that's okay if you want to keep it to yourself. I respect that. And I know that Bert and Bob and Ray know some things that I may never, and I know that I'm too dense to understand a lot of things, but I  _know_  that I will understand this."

That was the exact moment that Gee fell in love with Frank. It wasn't how she imagined it–half dressed in Frank's bed. But it was so much better than the scenario she planned out in her head.

Frank reached over to brush her hair out of her face, his eyes grazing the dark marks he had littered all over her torso the night before. Gee took a deep breath and just let it all out–it wasn't everything that she was ever planning on telling Frank, but it was a lot, and she was okay with that.

 


	15. the very curious case of bert mccracken

Simply put, Bert was pissed. He wasn’t pissed because he got drunk last night and passed out on a strange couch and had no fucking clue who’s house he was in, or because he had a hangover to end all hangovers, or even because his body was sticky in places that he didn’t know could even _get_ sticky. He was pissed because of the sounds that woke him up.

 

Laughter.

 

Bert’s bloodshot eyes snapped open at a quarter to twelve in the afternoon, triggered awake from his deep slumber by the sound of laughter. But it wasn’t just any laugh; it was Frank and namely Gee, having at it upstairs and enjoying each other’s company.

 

He didn’t know where the hell he was, but he knew by the sound of those characteristic tinkling laughs that it was Gee. He could always pick out her laugh. Bert was pissed because Gee was having fun without him. “That should be me,” he thought with a still fuzzy conscience.

 

When his haze lifted he remembered everything: the party, the booze, the bodacious babes…Gee going off with Frank. The drunken comment he made to the two of them, alluding to Gee’s sexual history. And the way Gee flipped him off with the face that read, “I know what I’m doing”; Bert knew Gee well enough to read her expressions–even when he was drunk.

 

He sat up from his sprawl on the couch and quietly tipped upstairs to see what the duo was up to.

 

On the record, he was pissed because Gee and Frank had woken him up. But off the record, he was pissed because he felt a pang when he heard that unmistakable laugh. It was a nostalgic pang, one laced with the guilt of all his transgressions–all the things he could’ve done better and all the things he did so horribly wrong. Because when it boiled down to it, Bert missed Gee, not only as a boyfriend– “girlfriend,” he corrected himself, but as a friend in general. He missed her a lot–a _hell_ of a lot.

 

When Bert looked through the door that was slightly cracked open and saw Gee leaning back on her elbows, shirt still unbuttoned and soft milky tummy exposed, with Frank’s head in her lap and her fingers running through his mop of dark hair, he sighed. They were deep in casual conversation, tiny, breathy laughs escaping occasionally. He almost called the interaction “gay” but he didn’t. Bert never understood how and why he starting using those slurs because he was in fact bi. I guess old habits die hard.

 

Bert wasn’t sure how long he stood there and watched them. To him, it felt like a moment suspended in time. And after he turned around and left the scene, he wouldn’t remember what they were talking about either. It was days like these when Bert McCracken hated having a heart.

 

He dealt with this problem the only way he knew how, by grabbing a cold beer from Mr. Iero’s stash deep in the back of the fridge, pouring it in a solo cup, going back to his position on the couch, and thinking deeply about how to fix things.

 

 

 

Bert had finished his cup of lukewarm beer; he crushed it in the palm of his hand, satisfied with his final resolution. He was going to get Gee back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> have a happy holidays! xoxo lola


	16. bang the doldrums, break some windows

 

It was Monday morning and Pete’s plane had just touched down on American soil. He was home and safe, and close to Mikey and that was all that Pete cared about. Everything about this day would be perfect if only Mikey would answer the Kik messages or Skype calls that he’d left over the course of the last two days. Pete wasn’t the type of person to disclose how much he spams people with constant messaging, but Pete also had no shame. So it was a lot of messages.

 

Pete and his family disembarked the plane. He stepped into the dimly lit and outdated airport and took a huge whiff of the air. It smelled like McDonald’s breakfast, burnt coffee, and cheap leather. Pete’s mega watt smile dimmed. He remembered America differently than this.

 

The Wentz boy had wondered if anything was different than the last time than he had been here last summer. Mikey had been keeping him updated on the constant ebbing and flowing of American trends, but there was a nagging in the back of his head that told him that Mikey, a kid who was not immersed in the meme lingo and therefore _not_ a cool kid, left a lot out.

 

But now because his sweet little dude, Mikey, wanted nothing to do with him for an unknown reason, what was really the point of him being in Jersey again? Without Mikey he would be friendless, and once again would become the new kid.

 

 

 

Frank had not been avoiding Dewees. Well, that’s what Dewees kept telling himself. Frank totally would _not_ ditch him for a girl, or because he was gay.

 

He laughed to himself because he could feed himself those lies all day long and it still wouldn’t make a difference. Frank Iero was Frank Iero and there was no changing that.

 

Leaving his and Frank’s morning meeting spot in the cafeteria, Dewees began the walk to first period, alone. It wasn’t like he minded being alone, it was more like he knew that he shouldn’t be alone during these moments and that Frank should be with him, but instead he was probably with–

 

“Dewees!”

 

James snapped his head around. It was Gee. Frank never would have shouted his name like that.

 

“Where’s your boyfriend?” Dewees rolled his eyes.

 

“He’s not my–

 

Gee stopped midsentence realizing for, like, the third time that now Frank was her boyfriend. “…anyway he probably slept late and I thought you looked lonely. I’m walking you to class today.”

 

James suppressed the urge to melt over Gee’s selfless actions. His face heated up. “Um, ah, thanks Gee.”

 

“Don’t worry about it,” she beamed.

 

“So...when did you guys become official? Was it at the party? Did you guys get laid?” He smoothly hooked his thumbs through his backpack straps.

 

Gee laughed but her dark rimmed eyes darted around, “Um, no. We didn’t sleep together. But yes, it was at the party. You were at the party?”

 

Dewees stopped walking when he reached his class. “ _Everyone_ was at the party.”

 

Gee swallowed the lump in her throat, she didn’t like the ominous tone of that sentence. And Dewees was right, there were a _lot_ of people at the party. She wasn’t sure what that meant or how it could come back to bite her, but she knew it wouldn’t turn out well.

 

 

 

Mikey’s phone went off like a machine gun in class. He hadn’t turned the ringer off and dozens of notifications were coming through. Mikey didn’t have to look at the screen to know that it was Pete texting him.

 

His teacher, Mr. Molko, loomed over his desk, hand outstretched. Mikey dug through his pockets to give him the phone. At least now he would have a decent reason not to answer his boyfriend’s messages.

 

Through the rest of the school day Mikey couldn’t focus. He was obsessing over what Pete could be doing at the moment. Even though he hadn’t talked to Pete since last week, he knew–no he could feel the exact moment when Pete was back in Jersey. He felt like a prick for over exaggerating and letting his imagination and a horrible nightmare dictate his actions. Mikey didn’t mean it; he was just scared. Scared that his dreams might actually come true. But now that Pete was back in the US there was no way that that either of their nightmares could be followed through.

 

 

Later that evening, when the Wentz family had quasi settled into their new home, Pete sneaked out to do some recon on Mikey. He remembered the neighborhoods and the street names very well for someone who had been living out of the country for so long. It wasn’t a surprise to Pete because all he did in Japan was think back to his friends in the states. And even though Pete Wentz was the Coolest Person To Ever Exist, he also shared the title of the Lamest Person Ever To Exist.

 

Don’t tell anyone this, but he knew the way to Mikey’s house like the back of his hand. And that was how, in ten minutes flat, he was in the Way’s backyard.

 

“How can I make my appearance as dramatic as possible?” Pete asked himself. Yes, Pete actually asked himself that question aloud. “In the movies they always throw rocks at the windows…so I guess that’s what I’ll do. Yeah, good idea Wentz.”

 

 

 

A large rock crashed through Mikey’s window, over his head, and onto his duvet. Broken glass went everywhere. Mikey screamed.

 

 

 

Pete, out in the backyard of the Way residence, cringed. “Maybe I shouldn’t have picked such a large rock,” he muttered.

 

As he launched a slightly smaller rock at the window, Mikey poked his head out of the sizeable hole in it.

 

 

 

“Look Mikey, I’m really, really sorry. You know I would never do anything to hurt you. I love you and I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s okay, I love you too Pete. I’m glad you’re back.”

Mikey’s head was on Pete’s lap, a bag of ice rested on his forehead, he smiled up to his dark haired boyfriend. Pete leaned down to peck his boyfriend on the lips.

 

“I’m glad you’re back too Petey,” Mama Way commented, “Mikey has barely left the house since you left.”

 

“ _MOM_.”

 

“I missed you too Pete, you’re the cool brother I never had.” Gee smirked and leaned against the wall.

 

Mikey groaned.

 

“Do you need more ice?” Pete honest to God felt horrible about what happened to Mikey, the window, not so much.

 

“I _need_ to get away from this family.”

 

 

 

“Do your parents know you came to see me?”

 

“Nah,” Pete shrugged, “I like to live life on the wild side.”

 

“ _Pete_. You’re gonna get in trouble one day you know.”

 

“If I get on trouble for you then it’s all worth it.”

 

Mikey sighed into Pete’s embrace as they lay together on Mikey’s bed. “I’m sorry that I ignored you for three days straight. A while back I had this nightmare–well, an amazing dream that you were coming back. But I woke up and I realized it was a dream and I was devastated because I knew it wasn’t going to happen.” He began to smile, “But I was wrong, you’re back here in Jersey with me, and I couldn’t be any happier.”

 

A draft of cold air blew in from the hole in the window.

 

“What the _fuck_ were you thinking Peter Lewis oh my God.”

 

“Thinking I was going to get you back rom-com style by throwing rocks at your window and serenading you with a song. I only got halfway with that plan though.”

 

“Finish it. Serenade me,” Mikey urged.

 

“It’s kind of dumb and I’d be doing it with no mus–

 

Mikey shushed him by putting a finger to his lips, “Shut up and sing.”

 

Pete cleared his throat a little before he began to sing softly, “ _I wrote a goodbye note in lipstick on your arm/ When you passed out/ I couldn't bring myself to call/ Except to call it quits/ Best friends/ Ex-friends till the end/ Better off as lovers/ And not the other way around…And I cast a spell over the west to make you think of me/ The same way I think of you_ _/ This is a love song in my own way/ Happily ever after below the waist…Best friends/ Ex-friends till the end/ Better off as lovers/ And not the other way around/ Ex-friends till the end/ Better off as lovers_.”

 

Mikey was silent for a moment. Then quietly, “You wrote a song about me?”

 

“Patrick helped a lot, but yeah.”

 

“I really love you Pete, you know that right?” Mikey burrowed his bruised face into the front of Pete’s shirt.

 

“I know, I love you too.”


	17. gerard way and the hormones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a double update and a quick note, this chapter will have a flash back in it and gee will have he/him pronouns and will be referred to as gerard

It was Wednesday night and Frank pushed his mothers’ mashed potatoes around on his plate. Usually he was a freak for mashed potatoes, but tonight he wasn’t really feeling it.

 

“Frank…Frank honey.” His mom snapped him out of his thoughts. “Are you okay? You seem a little out of it”

 

“No I’m fine, I’m just tired.” He wasn’t lying for once.

 

“You sure son? Is everything okay with you and your girlfriend…Gee? That was her name right?” Mr. Iero seemed oddly concerned about his son’s life for once. Maybe it was the fact that Frank finally had a girlfriend that interested him so much.

 

A twisted smile formed on Frank’s face because she _actually_ was his girlfriend this time. “No sir,” he laughed a little, “everything is great with us.”

 

“Good, good. Maybe we should look into meeting her parents sometime.”

 

‘ _This is a good sign_ ,’ he thought.

 

“What’s her last name Frankie?”

 

“Way. Gee Way.”

 

“What do her parents do?” Frank’s father had set his fork down at this point, fully invested into the discourse about Frank’s love life.

 

Frank’s mouth twisted again, but not in a good way, he knew his parents were bigots to the point where they wouldn’t like that Ms. Way was a single mom. “Well her dad is out of the picture, and I think her mom works retail.”

 

The Iero’s frowned, but Mrs. Iero’s interest was piqued at the word “retail.” She worked at the makeup and perfume counter in the mall.

 

“Do you know if she works in any of the department stores at the mall?”

 

“I­–I think she might, and her name is…Donna?”

 

“Donna…Donna,” she thought, “Donna Way…Oh! I know her! She’s such a sweet lady. We used talk but I think she switched positions about a year ago.”

 

Frank nodded in agreement; Mama Way was a really nice lady.

 

“But…” her brows furrowed, “I might be remembering wrong because I don’t think she ever mentioned having a daughter. Just two sons.”

 

A singular red flag went off in the back of Frank’s mind.

 

“What were their names?”

 

“Mikey and Gerard I think.”

 

Several hundred red flags went off in the back of Frank’s head. All of the things that hadn’t been making sense about Gee and the confusion that surrounded her and all those pesky loose ends _finally_ came together in Frank’s mind. Things were finally making sense. He blankly stared into his mashed potatoes.

 

There was a tap on Frank’s shoulder. “Frank…honey. We lost you for a second.”

 

He swallowed, “I’m fine Mom…you know what…I don’t think that’s her mom’s name. I think that’s her aunt’s name. Ge–Gerard and Mikey are her cousins. Sorry.”

 

“You’re fine sweetie.”

 

“I need to take Sweetpea out for a walk.” It was a drastic change of discussion, but it somehow didn’t alarm his parents in any way.

 

“Go ahead.”

 

“Be careful, it’s dark out.”

 

Wordlessly Frank stood from the kitchen table, got little old Sweetpea, and walked out of his house.

 

 

He wasn’t even sure he walked to Gee’s house–he might have teleported, who knows? This is Frank Iero we’re talking about.

 

He knocked on the door, a series of three quick, sharp raps.

 

Mikey opened the door and grinned, “Hey Fr–

 

“Take her.” Frank pushed a wriggling Sweetpea into Mikey’s arms and walked into the Way household. He ignored the panicked and confused yelps from his dog and the panicked and confused sneezes from Mikey. Fuck his allergies.

 

Frank threw open the door to Gee’s room as nicely as he could. Gee perked up from her spot on her bedroom floor sorting laundry. He closed the door behind him.

 

“Frankie!” Gee was excited but taken a little off guard. “What are you doing over it’s–

 

Frank’s dark hair fell over his eyes as he spoke. “Why didn’t you tell me.”

 

“Tell you what?” The color drained from Gee’s face. ‘ _Maybe this isn’t the conversation I’ve been putting off_ ,’ she thought.

 

“You know exactly what I mean.”

 

Gee was on her feet instantly. “What _do_ you mean?” Her words were sharp and practiced.

 

Frank struggled to find words that weren’t offensive or vague, or both.

 

“Y-you aren’t a real girl. I mean…that you weren’t born one…your real name is Gerard–

 

“I’m stopping you right there Frank. The word you are looking for is transgender. I transitioned from male to female.” Gee spoke softly and slowly. “And I assure you that my name is _not_ Gerard.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me? I’m your boyfriend Gee. I’m one of your _friends_.”

 

“Just because you’re my boyfriend doesn’t give you any right to know things that are private to me Frank. I don’t have to tell you anything.”

 

“Yeah you do! It’s kinda in the rules of a relationship!”

 

“Are you understanding the words that are coming out of your mouth?”

 

“Who else knows? I bet that tall fucker Ray knows!” Frank accused, pointing a finger at Gee.

 

“Chill out about Ray. He’s my closet friend Frank, he was the one helped me through my transition.”

 

“Whatever you say, Gee–or should I say _Gerard_?”

 

Gee shoved Frank. “ _Don’t you fucking call me that_! No matter how upset you are it doesn’t give you the right to be fucking rude!”

 

Frank quickly held his hands up as surrender. “I–I’m sorry Gee. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m just upset that you wouldn’t tell me…that’s kind of important.”

 

“Why is it important? If I were cis you wouldn’t need conformation of any kind, Frank. Trans people don’t walk around telling people that they’re trans for a reason.”

 

Silence. The house was silent.

 

“I’m going to go.”

 

More silence. Gee became aware of how loud their arguing had been.

 

“Okay.”

 

Frank left in silence and Gee stayed silent until she heard the front door close and the lock quickly snap shut behind him. She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. And outside of her house, so did Frank.

 

The pill bottle that had began it all stared Gee down from its position on her dresser.

 

“It’s the only thing that’s been able to make me happy…and its succeeded in making everyone unhappy with me. Is it really worth it? All the money Mom spent on the hormones and the therapy, is my happiness worth risking everyone I know? Is all this even fucking worth it?” Gee desperately said this to herself and everyone, but no one in particular.

 

This exchange with Frank made her think of a very similar one with no one else, than Bert McCracken.

 

 

_{one year ago}_

_Bert thought Gerard wanted him over to his house because he was having a bad mental health day, or maybe because he needed someone to be a model for that comic he loved writing and illustrating so much. All Bert knew was that his boyfriend wasn’t at school that day and that could mean a numerous amount of things._

_He let himself in through the back door and jogged up the Way’s set of stairs to Gee’s room._

_“Hey Gerard!” His grin was contagious, “What’s up.”_

_Gerard sat crisscross applesauce on his bedspread, a bottle of pills in his hands._

_He managed to crack a grin, “Hey Bert.”_

_Bert quickly kissed Gee on the lips as he lay down next to him._

_“What are those?” Bert asked, gesturing to the bottle Gerard held in his grip._

_Gerard sighed and a small smile grew on his face, “It’s…estrogen, B. The reason why I wasn’t at school today.”_

_Gerard proudly thrust the bottle at Bert. He turned it over in his hands uneasily. The tablets rolled around inside._

_“Estrogen…like the hormone?”_

_“Exactly.”_

_Silence._

_“You want to be a girl?”_

_“I_ am _a girl Bert.”_

_He scoffed, “Yeah, tell that to your dick.”_

_Gerard felt his face heat up, “Look if you’re not gonna respect me, and what I want to do, then you’re gonna need to leave Bert.”_

_“Whatever, whatever. Just keep telling me what you need to babe.”_

_There was another long sigh from Gerard, but she brought it in and calmly began to introduce herself. “My name is Gee and I’m your girlfriend. As far as everyone’s concerned Gerard Way is metaphorically dead–_

_“I thought you were going to change your name to Claudia or some dramatic goth shit like that–_

_“Bert! If you’re not going to take this seriously–_

_“_ Bert! If you’re not going to take this seriously _,” he mimicked, “take a chill pill Gerard–or one of those new ones you got. I’m just joking it’s okay.”_

_“No it’s not.”_

_“Look Ger–_ Gee _”, he rolled his eyes, “I love you and all, but don’t you think you’re being a little drastic?”_

_“No?” Gee said incredulously, “this is me and if you can’t accept it… then…then I’m breaking up with you.”_

_He laughed, “No way. I’m leaving Gee, Gerard, whatever your name is, and I’m gonna tell the guys about this and see what they think okay?”_

_Bert tossed the pill bottle back to Gee as he pushed himself off the bed._

_“No! Don’t tell them yet, I’m not ready to–_

_“Gee, honey, you were ready when you fucking showed me that bottle. Stop being a pussy all the time. Take it like a man–girl, whatever,” he stuttered, “Okay?”_

_Gee was frozen in her spot as Bert strode out of the room. She could literally feel the dry wall pelting her body as her whole world collapsed around her. The only thing she felt like she was capable of doing at the moment was breaking down into tears, and that was exactly what she did._

 

 

After sitting on the ground and performing a fake version of folding her clean clothes for who know how long, Gee decided to ring the only person who really ever gave a shit about her that wasn’t family, Ray.

 

He picked up on the first ring. Ray knew it was important if Gee was calling him at two o’clock in the morning.

 

“Hey, Gee, are you okay?”

 

“I–It happened again Ray. I messed up. I messed up real bad.”


	18. this chapter in no way advocates skipping™ (stay in school kids)

 

The next morning, when Gee finally made her way downstairs, a group of her favorite people waited for her at the kitchen table. She looked miserable. Gee _literally_ looked miserable. It was sad to see the tired and broken expression on her face.

 

There was a cup of coffee made just the way she liked it set up on the table at her usual place. Ray was buttering a slice of toast and Pete and Mikey hugged her from behind. Mama Way wore a “concerned mom” expression.

 

Gee was now a little pissed, “Ray, why did you tell everyone what happened?”

 

“Gee,” Pete started, “He didn’t have to. You and Frank were yelling loud enough for the whole block to hear.”

 

“Oh.” She picked up her mug of coffee and took a tentative sip. It was exactly how she liked it, maybe better.

 

“I’m really sorry honey.” Her mom stretched a comforting hand in her direction to hold. Gee grabbed for her mother’s hand.

 

“Yeah.” The three boys chorused.

 

Pete spoke out, “Especially me, I didn’t even get to meet Frank properly.”

 

Gee rolled her eyes; despite his incessant yammering she actually enjoyed having Pete around. Ever since he moved back, Pete had unofficially moved into the Way residence. Mr. and Mrs. Wentz were fine with it as long as Pete got to school on time. It had only been two days, but an hour with Pete Wentz is equal to about a year.

 

“And yes, Gee, before you open your mouth you _are_ going to school today. You’ve missed a lot of school already this year and I want you to graduate on time.”

 

Gee stood with her mouth popped open, the words her mother had spoken lingering in the room. How dare she tell Gee to go to school, could her mother not see her blatant emotional distress over this breakup? Mama Way kissed her daughter, son, son-in-law, and adopted son on the head before she picked up her keys and left for work.

 

“We could _totally_ skip.” Pete suggested and Mikey nodded along with his boyfriend’s plan.

 

“No way, you heard what Mom said.” Ray put his hands on his hips. “You guys don’t have to worry about taking Gee today, I’ll drive her to school.”

 

The boyfriends were out of the door in seconds.

 

“We are _totally_ skipping,” Ray giggled.

 

Gee cracked a smile for the first time this morning and reached up to ruffle Ray’s fro.

 

 

 

“What up chumps?” Bert announced to his entire lunch group. About a dozen people replied back to him with various insults and greetings. “I’m seeing a lack of a certain fro?” Bert wondered aloud. “Where’s Toro?”

 

Mikey along with Pete scoffed, “He and Gee skipped the day.”

 

“Why?”

 

“You didn’t hear this from me…but Gee and her new boyfriend Frank had a falling out. He figured out she was trans. I think they broke up. The terms were a little vague though.”

 

Pete glared pointedly at his boyfriend. For the second time in his life, Mikey Way had told one of Gee’s very important secrets to the masses. Her life might as well be an open book, or a predictable fanfiction at the least.

 

Bert frowned, “Oh.”

 

But he then realized that this was his time! This was the moment he had been waiting for, a slot that he could wiggle into to be a part of Gee’s life again! He smiled, and no one said anything about it because it was Bert for fuck’s sake, no one wanted to know what was going on up there.

 

 

On the other side of the city, Frank was curled up with his many dogs and Dewees. They had skipped school today too.

 

“…Exactly Dewees! Like I really like her, but I’m not sure about the whole ‘not a real girl’ thing.”

 

“I’m gonna stop you right there, man,” Dewees raised a hand to mimic a stop sign. “Like, that’s why she went off on you. It’s a sensitive subject.”

 

“But she should have told me.” Frank pouted up at the ceiling.

 

“I’m twenty million percent sure that she was going to tell you when she felt ready to.”

 

“But–

 

“No ifs, ands, or buts about it Frank. She would have and you know it.”

 

Sweetpea barked in agreement. The dogs knew Gee was a stand up gal who gave them top notch belly rubs that one time and would have told their Dad eventually. “See,” Dewees gestured to the dog, “she knows what’s up.”

 

Frank sighed deeply and dragged his hands across his face. “I really messed up didn’t I.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“That was a rhetorical question.”

 

“I’m surprised you even know what a rhetorical question is.”

 

“Shut up.”

 

“She even told you to look up ‘Down With Cis’. That was your first indicator Frank.”

 

Frank covered his ears. “I can’t hear negative people. New year, new me.”

 

“It’s fucking March.”

 

“You know what, I don’t need this kind of toxic behavior in my life.”

 

 

 

“…I don’t need this type of toxic behavior in my life Ray.” Gee complained from her position on her living room couch.

 

“I’m not gonna fucking make you any more coffee, I’m tired and it’s two o’clock you’re never gonna get to sleep at this rate.”

 

“Whatever.” Gee put her empty mug on the coffee table and pouted. Ray sighed and moved Gee’s splayed out legs off of his and got off the couch to make her another warm beverage.

 

“Why am I your friend?” Ray’s voice carried form the kitchen.

 

“Because you love me,” Gee shouted back.

 

“Something like that.”

 

The curly haired one placed the freshly brewed cup of bean juice in his best friend’s hands.

 

“Thank you Ray,” she beamed up at him.

 

He softy grinned back.

 

“Did I tell you that Lindsey came by the other day?”

 

“She did?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Did she insult you?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“That’s a given.”

 

“Do you think she’s still mad that I cheated on her with Bert?”

 

“She’s still salty about it,” Ray shrugged, “I hear about it almost daily.”

 

 

The time was 3:45; school was officially out. Bert made his way over to the Way residence to rebound on Gee. He had planned everything out to a T. There was no obstacle that he couldn’t face, no question he couldn’t tackle. He was gonna burst in there with guns blazing. Unless, there was someone who could beat him to the punch.

 

 

 

“You’ve done enough today,” Gee patted Ray’s head of hair, as she moved past him to answer the door, and to frankly, get out of the room that all of a sudden felt stifling, “I’ll get it.”

 

 

“Frank?” _Shit_. She should have let Ray answer the door.

 

“Um…Hey Gee.”

 

“I’m…uh, a little busy right now.” Her gaze slipped past his, and onto a spot on the tacky “Welcome Home” doormat her Mom bought from Wal-Mart ages ago.

 

“I’ll make it really quick I promise,” he pled. Gee stepped onto the front porch with Frank and let the door close behind her.

 

“Now really isn’t a good time Frank. I’ll talk to you tomorrow in school, okay?”

 

He reached out to grab her arm as she turned to walk back inside. “Wait.”

 

“ _Frank_.” Gee gritted her teeth and snatched her arm out of his grip. “Please leave.”

 

His thick bangs fell over his eyes as his arms relaxed back at his sides. “Okay.” Frank walked off the porch, but turned back around to ask a final, hopeful statement, “See you tomorrow?” The porch was desolate; Gee had already gone inside.

 

Inside her house, Gee sighed and mentally added that exchange with Frank to her Most Heartbreaking Conversations list. It took every bit of self control she had to keep herself from flinging her body back into Frank’s arms. She maybe should have taken the time to compose herself before heading back to where the boys sat, but she had already been gone too long.

 

“Who was that?” Bert demanded.

 

“No one,” she plopped down on his lap.

 

It had been about three weeks, give or take, since Frank and Gee had officially broken up. There were never any words of a conventional breakup exchanged, they just stopped talking to each other and filled the void within by talking to their respective best friends, Dewees and Ray. They just kept avoiding each other and dodging their advances. Neither of the two were confident or feeling confrontational at the right time. The moon and the starts weren’t aligned. The universe seemed to be plotting against them. _Right guy, wrong time_ , Gee kept telling to herself. But, maybe, it was meant to be this way.


	19. dont threaten gee with a good time

_“Who was that?” Bert demanded._

_“No one,” Gee plopped down on his lap and smiled sweetly._

 

Ray rolled his eyes from the other side of the couch. He didn’t buy into Gee’s bullshit, he knew it was Frank at the door from the tell tale look Gee had on her face when she walked back inside–like she had seen a ghost. Truly and _utterly_ spooked.

 

Bert attached his lips to the side of Gee’s neck and started sucking. Gee moaned, not making any effort to keep the noise down.

 

Ray checked his wrist like he had a watch and heaved himself off the couch. “It looks like its time for me to go. Catch you later Gee…Bert.”

 

They grunted in response.

 

As soon as Ray was out the door, their lips separated.

 

“Finally. He’s such a killjoy.”

 

“Chill out, he’s my best friend.”

 

“Whatever, do you want to smoke this,” he pulled out a baggie of pre-rolled joints, “or not?”

 

Gee grinned and dragged Bert outside.

 

 

In a way, Gee wanted Bert back. She missed having someone who knew her almost as good as Ray. And even though unpredictable was Bert’s middle name; she missed the predictability of his sporadic behavior. He was familiar–a second home, and Frank was new territory not yet conquered, there were plenty of parts of him that she had yet to discover. Metaphorically speaking, Frank was a foreign country with different ideals and ways of life, and a Bert was that place she held dual citizenship in.

 

The day when Bert McCracken rang the doorbell back into her life, he brought Gee a baggie of weed, a bottle of vodka, and a simple phrase. As soon as the words “I heard you were having a bad day” came out of his mouth, Gee let Bert right back into her life. If Bert knew it would be that easy, he would have done it a long time ago. She left Ray at her house and followed Bert to their old spot in the park, where the trees left an opening so you could see the sky, and lit up under the sinking sun, and passed the alcohol under the stars.

 

The weed was weak and the alcohol was something cheap from the corner store, but Gee enjoyed it nevertheless. The vodka burned down her throat and the first hit of the weed made her feel like she was going to cough up a lung because she hadn’t smoked in so long, but she didn’t care. In fact, she loved it. It felt like the first time she’d done something like this, when she knew perfectly well that it’d been a long time since she’d done something for the first time. Gee had been craving these feelings because they were the only ones significant enough to make her feel something physical. The ache and ecstasy served as a release and a distraction from everything that seemed to be targeting her at the moment. In those few hours Gee spent rekindling the old flame of companionship with Bert, she forgot the reason she was upset in the first place.

 

 

 

Fast-forward to three weeks later as Bert and Gee lay in the grass in Gee’s backyard. They looked aimlessly up at the diminishing dusky sky as they shared a blunt.

 

“I love you so much,” Gee murmured to Bert who was pitifully attempting to make smoke rings.

 

Bert laughed, most likely because he was stoned. “Good.” Gee hummed at his response. “I missed you so much.”

 

“I figured as much,” she shrugged and passed the joint back over to him. Bert caught her hand and held it, intertwining their fingers. “Gee look at me.” Gee’s head lolled over to face Bert. “I’m not going to fuck up like I did last time. I love you Gee.”

 

“Really?” she whispered.

 

“Really,” he replied.

 

“ _Really_?” Mama Way interjected. Bert and Gee jumped. “Really guys? Smoking weed? In the backyard?”

 

“OhmyGod sorry Mom.”

 

“Sorry Ms. Way.”

 

“I’d beat it if I were you, Bert.”

 

“Yes ma’am,” he nodded quickly, “See you later Gee.” Bert bolted.

 

“Gee, get inside.”

 

With her head ducked like a puppy that had been disciplined, she followed her mother back into the house. Oh how sobering the effects of a parent’s voice are.

 

“Bert, again? The _drugs_ , again?” Mama Way ran an agitated hand through her hair. Gee could literally see a new grey hair sprout from her scalp.

 

“I’m sorry,” Gee shrugged as offering.

 

“You and Frank never made up?”

 

“No.” Gee thought back to Frank’s sudden appearance earlier this afternoon. Mama Way sighed, knowing that she would never get the full story out of her daughter, “Just…go to you room.”

 

 

Mikey and Pete scrambled to get back into their room before Gee made it upstairs. The door quietly shut just as she made it to the landing. Mikey thunked his head against his wall repeatedly. Pete pulled him away from the wall and into his chest where Mikey buried his head into his shirt.

 

“I feel like such an asshole for snitching on them.” Mikey’s words came out muffled.

 

Pete reassured his boyfriend the best he could, “Gee won’t find out, babe. You’re fine. Your Mom was gonna find out eventually.”

 

“Yeah, but I _betrayed_ her. I’m a regular Judas!”

 

“That’s where you’re wrong Mike.” Pete sat them down on Mikey’s bed. “What you’re describing doesn’t even come close to what you actually did,” Mikey could feel his fragile heart sink in his chest, “even though it doesn’t seem like it, you’re _helping_ her. Last summer was the first time I met you two, so I didn’t even know her when she was deep into whatever illegal business Bert runs, but you told me about it, and honestly it sounded like hell for you, _and_ your mom. Bert’s a decent guy, but he’s possibly the worst influence ever. I wasn’t even here when she started transitioning for Pete’s– I mean my own–sake. So much was going on with her that I’m not even sure I thought half of it was true. But all of the stories _are_ true Mikey, because you lived through them, and you love your sister. And because you love your sister, you would never want her to get into that kind of lifestyle again.”

 

“What’s your point Pete?” Mikey groaned, face down in his new Star Wars duvet.

 

“My point is that we need to break up Bert and Gee.”

 

“Is this because you like Frank better than Bert?”

 

“Yes, and no. I care about Gee’s wellbeing more than I care about some silly fanfiction.”

 

As soon as the words were out, Pete wished he could get them back in.

 

“Fanfiction?”

 

“I meant that metaph–

 

“You wrote _fic_ about my sister?”

 

Pete rolled his eyes around in his socket, “Not like it’s dirty or anything. _That_ dirty.”

 

“ _Pete_!” Mikey shrieked and Pete flinched, waiting for the onslaught and offended words of his boyfriend: “you’re so creepy” and “that crosses so many lines.”

 

“Yeah?” Pete hung his head.

 

There was a pause before Mikey said, “You _gotta_ let me read it.”

 

The Wentz boy grinned, there was a reason they stayed a couple.


	20. Off brand X Files

 

“Operation Break Bert and Gee Up and Hook Her Back Up With Frank, is go,” Pete whispered to his phone.

“Babe,” Mikey interrupted, “isn’t that a little long? And why are you whispering?” 

Pete groaned from his position in the bushes. “First of all, I’m whispering because we’re on a _mission_ ,” he said in a harsher whisper, “and oh _really_ Mikey? What’s the name you came up with?”

“Operation Save Gee.” Pete could feel the dumb smirk Mikey was wearing through the phone. 

He scowled because his boyfriend’s idea was really good, “Whatever. Are you in position or not?”

“Aye aye Captain Wentz.”

Mikey and Pete had the perfect plan to get Frank and Gee back together and simultaneously eradicate Bert’s presence from Gee’s life forever. It was flawless. Well, flawless enough for a pair of sixteen-year-old boys who preferred being dramatic to actually getting things done. They were currently executing phase one of Operation Save Gee. Pete was stationed outside the Iero house with a doggy whistle and a Ziploc bag full of treats. Mikey was following Bert and Gee around the city in his car as Bert made a round of drop offs.

“Okay Pete, Operation Save Gee is a go. They’re walking into Starbucks. Gee will be debating on whether she’s feeling an iced coconut macchiato or a white chocolate double shot mocha for the next twenty minutes.” 

Pete stood from within the bush, phone pressed to his ear. “Ten-four Agent Mikey. Phase One: Who Let The Dogs Out is in motion.” He ended the call and spy stalked to the Iero’s back gate and flung it open. The dog-calling whistle that Pete held in-between his lips huffed out a couple unheard notes. All the dogs on the block began to bark wildly. Pete cursed, “Didn’t think this one all the way through.” But he didn’t have to worry for long because a couple of Frank’s dogs were already out and sniffing for the source of the noise.

 “Lilly? Cherry?” Frank called from the back porch. Pete grinned and ran, because his plan was _actually_ working, throwing treats in his wake. The dogs sprinted after Pete. “Wait! Come back dudes! Lily! Cherry!”

Frank took off in a sprint after the dogs. 

“Come in Agent Scully,” Pete spoke after he had dialed Mikey’s number, “Target Number Two is enroute.”

Mikey giggled from his stakeout at Starbucks, “That’s so sweet, you let me be Dana.” 

“Anything for you baby,” Pete grinned, then tripped over a break in the pavement, “ _Shitfuck_.”

“Are you okay Petey?” It seemed like his voice had jumped an octave in worry. 

Pete picked himself of the ground and kept running, only stopping again to see if Frank was gaining on him and the dogs.

 “…Yeah I’m fine, babe. I tripped, and it looks like Frank is running faster than anticipated. We should be there in a bit.” Pete threw another handful of treats behind him to make sure that dogs were still interested and puffed on the dog whistle again for good measure.

 

* * *

 

“I…don’t…understand...why,” Frank complained, breathless, as he chased after his dogs, “They never do this.” 

He was sweating heavily under his favorite knit cardigan as he rounded into the Starbucks parking lot. Pete dived into Mikey’s car just as Gee and Bert walked out of the shop, expensive coffee in hand. The dogs, forgetting all about Pete and the treats, bounded over to Gee.

“What are you guys doing out?” Gee squealed in excitement as Lilly and Cherry barked up her legs. “I haven’t seen you guys in a bit!” She handed Bert her coffee and started scratching behind their ears. 

“What the fuck? Are those Iero’s dogs?” Bert squinted at the twin French Bulldogs that Gee was currently letting lick all over her hand.

Frank jogged up, out of breath to the couple, “Yeah, they’re mine. Hey Bert,” his voice became quieter, “Hey Gee.”

Gee nodded back at him as a red flush spread over her nose and cheeks, she retrieved her hand from Lilly and Cherry and wiped her slobbery hand on her dress as nonchalantly as she could manage. “Um, what are they doing out?” she dared to ask.

“Don’t know, I guess wind pulled the back gate open and they took it as a sign that it was time to walk?” Frank shrugged and scratched the back of his head.

The three teens stared at each other. It wasn’t like no one wanted to talk; it was just that none of them had anything to say. 

“Well anyway,” Bert cut through the silence, “I have to finish up some work.” He curled his hand around Gee’s bicep and started to tug, “Let’s go.”

Frank had a sudden, bold impulse. He had to get one more word in before Bert dragged her away from him again, “Bye Gee. See you around.” 

“You too Frankie.” It was almost too soft to hear, but Frank knew she’d said it. He just knew it.

He continued to stand in the Starbucks parking lot long after Bert and Gee had walked away.

“Do you think he’s good?” Mikey asked from the behind the wheel of his car.

Pete stared at Frank’s lone figure like he just happened to be observing his presence at the moment, not like he’d been staking the poor boy out for the last hour and a half. He thought for a second, “Uh…yeah. He’s good. Anyway, it makes our mission a lot shorter if he’s not all right. If he’s not over his feelings for Gee, we can at least skip to Phase Three.”

“True,” Mikey noted, “Phase Three: Make Gee Realize Her–wait–can you come up with the name again this time?”

“Of course my love,” Pete kissed his boyfriend on the cheek, and as Mikey started up the car he began to rattle off cute puns for the name of the next phase of their plan.

 

* * *

 

 

“C’mon guys, let’s go home,” Frank said to Lilly and Cherry. Frank walked off and the dogs trailed behind him. By the time he had finally made it back to his home, Frank had had more than enough time to think about the ways he could get Gee back. 

“I really do not want to turn this into a total covert operation,” he huffed as he walked through the back door, double checking that the gate was shut and the dogs were in. “I know she really isn’t into being showered with gifts or attention, also if I did anything Bert would totally beat my ass.”

Most of Frank’s plans ended up with Bert beating his ass and not Gee back in his life, which Frank was totally not thrilled about.

He was splayed out on his bed when the most revolutionary thought that he had had all day occurred to him. “I never wanted to ask for help and I especially didn’t want to stoop this low and ask for _his_ help,” Frank ran a hand over his face and groaned, feeling like now was a good time to fling himself into the void, “He’s gonna hold it over my head for, like, the rest of my life, but I’m gonna have to ask for his help. Mary help me.”

Frank reached for his phone and unlocked it, thumbing through his contacts for a number he knew Gee had secretly put in one day. “Hey, Ray? This is Frank. Yeah? I need a favor…”


	21. nearly a drug dealer (ever since we met)

_“Hey, Ray? This is Frank. I need a favor…”_

 

Ray almost didn’t pick up the phone when he saw Frank’s name flash across the screen, but he did anyway.

 

“Hey Frank,” he held back the sigh that was forcing its way up this throat, “What’s up?”

 

“I, uh, really need to…Bert.” Frank’s words tumbled out of his mouth, not even sure what he was going to tell Ray yet.

 

“Ah,” he made a sound of understanding, “so this is what I’m getting: you, the transphobic ass, miss Gee and is jealous of Bert, who is an all-around ass.” It was silent on Frank’s end of the line so Ray continued on. “None of you deserve Gee. Get a move on with your life Frank. You’re eighteen, there’s a lot more girls you’re going to meet.”

 

He wasn’t shouting at Frank at this point, but he might as well have been.

 

“I’m not going to make Gee do anything she doesn’t want to. It would be nice to get back with her, _really_ nice, but I mainly just want to apologize. I was caught up in my emotions and I took it all out on her. I shouldn’t have done that, it was wrong of me.”

 

“Well, tell that to Gee, not me.”

 

“What?”

 

“I hate Bert with every bone in my body, even more than you, holy hell, _please_ let’s break them up. You were good for each other.”

 

“You mean that?”

 

“She’s always been my best friend and I know what’s better for her than she does,” he chuckled, “and Bert, isn’t good for her, or _anyone_ for that matter.”

 

“So you’re down to help me?” He could hardly believe that Ray had picked up the phone, let alone agree with his poorly thought out plan.

 

“Yeah, dude. Talk later?

 

“Yeah.”

 

* * *

 

 

“ _Dude_ ,” Pete yelped partway through his and Mikey’s operations planning session, “we should totally get Ray in on this.”

 

Mikey’s eyes sparked behind his glasses, “Yeah! That way we can coordinate all our plans better!”

 

They high-fived then called up Ray.

 

“Hey Mikey, what’s up?” He sounded more drained than usual.

 

“Not much, but me and Pete need your help with something.”

 

“I’m not going to help you with your D&D campaign,” he monotoned.

 

“You underestimate us Toro,” Pete chirped through the phone, “us, the meddling younger brothers, are working on a plan to break Bert and Gee up indefinitely.”

 

The older boy cackled into the receiver, “Funny you say that, because me and Frank have been plotting all night about this. Wanna team up? We’ve got quite the plan cooking.”

 

“Nothing would please us more,” Pete and Mikey chorused.

 

“God, you two really are soulmates.”

 

Mikey shrugged into the phone while Ray continued, “I’ll tell Frank and we’ll get back to you…soon?”

 

“Right on,” Pete nodded. A door slammed somewhere in the house.

 

“Oh, I guess my sister’s home. We’ll finalize the details later Ray,” Mikey grinned and when Gee’s best friend had ended the call, they high-fived once again.

 

“Best plan ever.”

 

* * *

 

 

“This is seriously not a good plan Bert,” Gee whispered as she trailed her boyfriend down the sidewalk.

 

“Shut the hell up Gee, you’re not the dude who’s been hustling a small portion of Jersey the last two years.”

 

“I know I haven’t,” she retorted, annoyed, “but I wish the person who _has_ been hustling a small portion of Jersey the last two years, would listen to his girlfriend when she says that the jig smells funky.”

 

“I have it under control, baby.”

 

“When has a client ever asked you to meet them at the _gas station_ , with out a _car_ , with _cameras_ , and _people_ , with an _entire_ bag full _._ It looks like your whole stash. Can you be _any_ more conspicuous?”

 

“There’s a first time for everything, and it’s not my _whole_ stash.”

 

“Could have fooled me,” she scoffed.

 

“ _Shut the hell up_. This is why I didn’t drive the car. Don’t be stupid Gee.”

 

She snapped her mouth shut, afraid of retaliation.

 

He handed her the bulky bag, “Wait here, I need to take a piss. If the guy comes, just give it to him. He’s going to wire me the money–a lot of money. Don’t fuck this up for me.”

 

Gee remained standing beside the propane tanks and ice machine outside the gas station, and almost as soon as Bert left, a guy walked up.

 

“I’m nearly a drug dealer,” she huffed incredulously.

 

The guy cleared his throat and placed his fidgeting hands in this pockets. “Bert said you’d be here.”

 

“Bastard,” she said under her breath. He set her up. Her fingerprints were now on the bag, and she was almost certain this was an undercover cop.

 

“Sorry, don’t know him.” A cop car slid into her peripheral. She hiked the bag up onto her shoulder like the contents of her purse were inside of it and not a metric shit ton of narcotics, or whatever Bert was supposed to give the guy.

 

The guy shifted his eyes as Gee began to smack her gum loudly and flip her bangs out of her eyes like an obnoxious teenage girl. She was an obnoxious teenage girl; it wasn’t that much of a feat.

 

“You _sure_?” the guy urged. A muscle in his neck twinged like he was going to look at the lingering police cruiser for backup.

 

“Very,” she nodded, and added a good old fashioned, just loud enough for people to hear, “Leave me alone creep!” just for effect. A couple heads pumping gas turned to face the scene. They guy backed away and ran off, and so did Gee. She didn’t break into a sprint immediately, but when she was out of eyeshot, she turned into Bellville High’s star track runner.

 

* * *

 

 

In record time, she was back at her house. Slamming the front door, and running up to her room, and slamming that door, then slamming the bag down on her carpet.

 

“What the hell do I do? What the _hell_ do I do?” She pulled at the ends of her hair like they were going to solve her problem. There were two things she was sure of, that one, Bert was going to find her soon, and two, Bert was going to be angry–very angry.

She decided to call Ray.

 

“Hey Ray.”

 

“Hey Gee!” he sounded uncharacteristically optimistic, “I’ve had the most _wild_ day you know, I’ve talked to your brother and his boyfriend, and _Frank_. It’s been quite the Saturday–

 

“Ray.” Her breathing was uneven, “I– _fuck_ ,” she cursed, sandwiching the phone in her shaking hands inbetween her shoulder and ear, “I’m–I’m going to be real with you for a second. I’m in some trouble.”

 

“Gee.” It was a sigh, a sigh of disappointment. One she shouldn’t be as familiar with, but yet, because of the decisions she constantly made, she was. “Is it drugs?”

 

“ _Damn, he knows me well_ ,” she thought. “Yeah,” she said aloud.

 

“Are you on them? What did Bert give you this time?” Ray’s voice was sharp. It cut through the buzzing silence in her head, in her house; it wasn’t the cutting edge of anger, it was the blade of pain arching from Ray, through the phone, and into her ear. It was all the promises she made him that she continued to break.

 

“He didn’t give me anything,” she closed her eyes and racked her mind for a better way to explain the situation without alerting the NSA, “he–we were making rounds today and there was this really, _really_ suspicious transaction. He knew that it was probably going to be the cops, so he gave me the bag to hold and left. Um, it was the police–an undercover cop, and I lied my way out of it and I’m home–I’m safe I guess, but–

 

“You still have the goddamn bag don’t you?”

 

“Yeah,” she whispered. “I know Bert’s looking for me. I have a lot of his stash in the bag.”

 

“I bet he is.”

 

“What do I do Ray?”

 

The line was silent as he thought up an answer, “You aren’t going to like this answer, but I think you should call Frank, go to his house. Bert won’t think to look there. Kill two birds with one stone.”

 

“What! No way am I fucking going to that transphobic douche’s house again Ray!”

 

“Listen, I know you don’t want to, but I also know that he’s _so_ much better for you than Bert. Give him one more chance, he’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

 

Gee stopped her frantic pacing around the room. “Fine, but only because I trust you.”

 

“Love you too, Gee. Frank is already outside, he took his mom’s car.”

 

“What?”

 

“Thank your brother and his husband.”

 

Ray ended the call, just as Gee barreled next door to Mikey’s room.

 

“First of all, fuck you guys for eavesdropping. Second, thank you very much.”

 

“Don’t mention it,” Mikey shrugged.

 

“We will collect on the favor eventually,” Pete added, shooing her away with his hand, not bothering to look up from his phone.

 

A one sided smile splayed across Gee’s face before she flew down the stairs and into Frank’s car.

 

 

* * *

 

 

They didn’t speak until they reached the Iero residence on the other side of town. They parked in his driveway and ran into the house, drug filled bag in tow, where the dogs attacked Gee, all before a single word left his mouth.

 

“I’m sorry.” His words startled her from her dog-induced euphoria. “I can’t explain to you how sorry I am.” Crouched on the floor, she stared up at him; and three feet ahead, he tried looking at anything except her. “There was no excuse for me to act that way–to say those things, and I know you’re back with Bert and that’s fine, but I really just need to apologize. I feel horrible about it, and I totally understand if you want to continue not being friends.”

 

Gee stood from where the dogs swarmed her and slowly extended her arms to hug Frank. “I’m sorry you felt that way, but you should have known that I was going to tell you eventually. I cared–care about you, and being trans is a part of me that I’m not ashamed to admit. But it does take a while to build up that trust.”

 

“I know. I was dumb.”

 

“I know, you are dumb,” she laughed.

 

“I, uh, I miss you,” Frank mumbled into her shoulder.

 

They were still hugging. Gee took a step back, a pained look on her face.

 

“I can’t, you know Bert would have my ass.”

 

“ _Fuck_ Bert!” he exclaimed, rolling his eyes.

 

“ _Frank_ ,” her tone was terse, arms crossed protectively around her abdomen; Gee’s guard was up just as if they hadn’t buried the metaphorical hatchet. “Just leave it. Let’s just solve one problem at a time, okay, Frankie?”

 

He perked up at the mention of his old pet name. “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry.”

 

In her pocket, Gee’s phone rang. The pair tensed as if their bodies knew who was calling even before Gee answered the call.

 

“Hey Bert,” Gee managed to squeak out.

 

“You dirty fucking slut, you’re at Iero’s place aren’t you.” Bert shouted loud enough for Frank to hear it. Frank glanced over at Gee to see the blanched expression on her face.

 

“I’m no–

 

“Oh really? Because that’s not what your brother said.”

 

“What’d you _do_ to him?”

 

“Nothing, just a little _persuading_.” His slick grin was audible.

 

“Bert, what do you want? I’ll give you back the stuff, I swear, just leave me out of your transactions from now on.”

 

“I don’t think so, you owe me.”

  
“ _Bert_.”

 

“Look, Gee, I’m about to pull up at Iero’s place, just come outside so we can talk this out. I love you. I want to make this better.”

 

Gee cast a weary look at Frank, split between what she should do. Bert’s car’s turn signal clicked in the background.

 

“If you don’t make up your mind soon, I will leave an anonymous tip to the cop that was trying to bust me earlier.” Gee felt her breath catch in her throat. “You have one minute.” The call ended.

 

Frank turned away from her just as she started to speak. “Just go Gee,” he cut her off. “Listen to him, it’ll be worse if you come out later rather than sooner.”

 

He fought the urge to envelope her into another large hug and his hand itched to hold hers.

 

“…Okay.” The front door opened, then closed.

 

He was alone. Again.

 

He sighed, then pulled his phone out to call Ray.               


	22. i'm sorry i used puns as a crutch for the entirety of this story

“Glad to see that you made the right choice, baby.” He started speaking even before she had slammed the car door behind her.

“Whatever Bert, you really screwed me over back there.”

“What did you expect me to do, Gee?”

“Take it like a man maybe?”

He shot her a look, lifted his hand like he was going to punch the dashboard, but rested it back on the gearshift. They still sat in Frank’s driveway.

“Gee–

“No Bert, I’m really pissed off at you right now. Just please take the bag and leave me alone. I need to think.”

“Then get out of the car Gee.”

“What?”

He leaned over her and pushed open the passenger door, “Get  _out_ of the car.”

Gee tentatively stepped out of her seat, and so did Bert on the driver’s side. He met her on her side of the vehicle, lifting his fist and then hitting her in the jaw. She didn’t even register what had happened until he did it again and again and again, and then she was on the cement, head buzzing, arms crossed over her face. Then there was shouting, but not from Bert. From someone other than him, because they shouted with authority and Bert always shouted like he was running away from himself.

 

* * *

 

 

And then, there was light. Gee wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but she was certain that she was propped up in the back of an ambulance with an EMT shining a penlight in her eyes. Or, at least, that’s how it happened in the movies.

“I think she’s finally come to, Evans.”

“Good, please tell her posse that so we can cart Miss Popular over to the ER.”

Gee squinted through the dots in her vision and the buzz that wouldn’t leave her head. “Hello?” Her letters slurred together.

“Hey sweetie, can you tell us your full name and what you were last doing?”

A small laugh escaped her mouth. “I was playing with Frank’s dogs.”

“That  _is_  true,” a voice remarked.

The EMTs shared a look.

“Yeah, it’s a concussion sweetie, we’re gonna have to take you in.”

Gee blinked sleepily at the sterile glove wearing EMT.

“Hey Gee,” it was Mikey, sounding a bit more panicked than usual, “Mom is meeting us at the hospital okay? Don’t worry.”

“Worry?” Her head cocked to the side in wonder. 

“Never mind.”

 

* * *

 

 

No one went home that night. 

“So I feel like our plan was a success.”

“ _Pete_.”

“I didn’t say it was foolproof, or even  _perfect_ , Ray, I said it was a success.”

“He has a point, Toro,” Frank added.

Ray rolled his eyes and slouched farther down in the hard plastic chair. “I think it just would’ve been better if we’d got him  _before_  he’d given her a concussion.”

“We all think that too Ray, don’t beat yourself up over it,” Mikey reached across Frank to pat him on the shoulder.

Frank spoke up for the first time in hours, “The cops had to have conclusive evidence on him anyways.” 

 A dissatisfied mumble made rounds through the group.

Mama Way seemed to be relieved as she walked up to the cluster of boys. Any time Gee ended up in the hospital, she looked drained the duration of the stay, but now Mama Way carried herself with a countenance unheard of for someone who had been cooped up in the hospital for the last eighteen hours. 

She took a seat next to Pete. 

Her voice was soft, “Hey boys, nice to see you all here! Gee’s stable now. They, uh, ran a couple scans on her. She does a have a pretty bad concussion and she’s a little…beat up, but she’s been cleared to have some visitors.”

All four breathed a collective sigh of relief. 

“So, who wants to go back there first?”

 

* * *

 

Much to his relief, Frank ended up seeing Gee last. He peeked into her room through the cracked door to see her resting. She was probably exhausted, from everything that had happened on top of  keeping up conversations with everyone.

Gee’s fair skin was washed out by the fluorescent lights, and he wasn’t sure if her bruises were that bad or if it was just how  _white_  the whole room was. She looked small and entirely too fragile to be the girl he knew.

“Frank?” At the sound of her voice, he remembered how long he had been standing there, creepily staring at her from the doorway.

He pushed through the door, “Hey Gee.” Then sat at the chair her mom had pushed to the bed, minding all the cords on the floor. God, he hated hospitals. She was only hooked up to a drip IV, but that was enough to make him taste bile in the back of his throat.

“I’m so–

“ _Please_  don’t say you’re sorry Frank, oh my God. It doesn’t matter anymore. I’m not dead. Anyways, everyone’s already given me the rundown. I know that all of you guys conspired against me and reported Bert to the police.” Frank shrugged at her accusation. “I also know all about the plan to get us back together.”

“Ah.”

“It’s fine. I’m just glad that you guys didn’t leave any leaf unturned, but I just can’t believe that the cops were already at your house before Bert got there.”

“Thank your brother for that one.” His tone read nonchalant, but he was wiping his clammy palms on his jeans.

“Don’t play it off like that Frank. Ray already elaborated on how much a role you played in this. How did you come up with all this Frankie? We’re  _barely_  friends anymore,” a tear ran down her face and she batted a hand at it, “How did the sweetest boy in the world come up with all  _this_ ,” she gestured vaguely around the space surrounding them, “for  _me_?”

Frank used his thumb to gently wipe the tears running down Gee’s face. 

“It wasn’t just me. It was Ray and me, and your brother and Pete did a lot too.”

Frank  _really_ didn’t want to be the hero in this situation. It was all his fault that this happened anyway.

“But  _why_?” her voice cracked.

He took a steadying breath before deciding to splay the contents of his heart before her. Frank squeezed Gee’s hand, met her hazel eyes and said, “From the moment I saw you with that shirt on, that first day you were in class, I knew there was something about you. I decided that I was going to be there for you, Gee; I should’ve  _always_  been there for you. I mean,” he chuckled before continuing, “you had me at down with cis.”

 


End file.
